


Puzzle Pieces

by CQueen



Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: M/M, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2017-12-11 19:57:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 68,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CQueen/pseuds/CQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Detective Blake is in a relationship with a man he knows is shoulder deep in the criminal world, and Bane knows his lover isn't a cop who can be turned or used to further his own goals. So what are they doing together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Valentines' Day

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Thanks and enjoy.

Valentine's Day

It was ten minutes until the end of Detective John Blake's shift. Just ten more minutes and then he could get the hell out of the squad room and head home. He'd gotten used to days like this, he reminded himself, days when the cops around him gave him suspicious looks or made snide little comments to make it clear what they thought of the fact that he was sleeping with one of the most dangerous suspected criminals in Gotham. He didn't expect them to understand his relationship with Bane, hell, half the time he didn't get it either. But at the end of the day he and his lover didn't mix business with pleasure and that was that. His division didn't operate in Bane's territory and neither of them talked about their work in order to avoid the other learning something they shouldn't know.

And technically Bane didn't have a criminal record, the man was just a living legend in the criminal underworld and was feared by pretty much everyone who encountered him. So while his fellow cops had heard plenty about him they didn't have any actual evidence since that tended to disappear as quickly as the man's enemies.

So yeah, hooking up with the guy hadn't been one of his smartest decisions, but he'd made worse. Probably. And it wasn't like he saw them as having a future, for Christ's sake. It would never work. That they'd lasted three months was a minor miracle.

The fact that he'd never had a relationship last this long was just the icing on the cake, Blake thought with a small sigh, his eyes once again being drawn over to the desk nearest his. Deena's husband had had the roses delivered that morning and the smell was almost driving him as crazy as why the man had sent them in the first place.

It was Valentine's Day.

When you grew up the way he had you learned not to give a shit about holidays, and part of the reason his track record dating wise was crap was because he was married to his job and didn't have a romantic bone in his body. And Bane had to be the same way, so there was no reason to think that the fact that they were getting together later required him to, in any way, shape or form, acknowledge the commercial holiday currently going on.

But what if the man was expecting something?

They'd only been having sex during Christmas so that hadn't been an issue. It was only in the last month that they'd actually started to spend the night together and keep each other company with clothes still on. They weren't really dating…but they sorta were too.

Dammit.

"So, Blake, got big plans tonight with your Quasimodo on steroids?"

Eyes narrowing ever so slightly Blake kept his cool and refused to rise to the bait. Sort of. "As a matter of fact BANE is coming to my place tonight. But no need to be jealous, McGreedy, I'm sure eventually you'll manage to save up enough to pay a human being to sleep with you. It should only take you a few more decades and hey, in the spirit of the holiday I'll chip in ten."

Blake wasn't even really surprised when the now red faced man threw the punch, maybe he'd been hoping for the chance to alleviate his tension so that Bane wouldn't notice it later. Either way he simply moved his head out of the way and didn't attack, knowing the man would look more foolish for it.

Drawing back his fist again McGreedy didn't get a chance to throw it, the cold voice of their commissioner slashing across the room like a nine-tailed whip.

Everyone straightening and coming to attention both men assured Gordon that nothing was the matter when he demanded to know what the hell was going on. Nothing they assured him, nothing at all.

"Then I think your shift is over now, Blake. Why don't you head on out."

"Yes, Sir."

)

Stepping out of the elevator Bane loosened the bright red scarf Talia had wrapped around him earlier, insisting that it was just the thing since it would not only cover up his mask but get him into the holiday spirit. She'd had a gleam in her eyes that he hadn't liked, especially when she'd told him to have a nice time with his detective. The two had never met of course, his connection to her couldn't be known to anyone outside the League, but he was beginning to think that Talia didn't like that he was involved with someone.

Which was foolish, his loyalty was absolute. There was no one more devoted to her than him. The relationship he had with Detective Blake was merely a sexual one that would no doubt end before the snow left Gotham City for the year. If not sooner.

Yes there was something about the man that…drew him, but that was because Detective Robin John Blake was a puzzle and one he had yet to solve to his satisfaction. The man kept pieces of himself hidden and guarded, refusing to show them to him. But he had most of them now and Bane was confident that it was only a matter of time before he could anticipate the man's every move instead of constantly being caught off guard by how different the man was in comparison to anyone he'd ever known.

As it was he was still trying to figure out why the dedicated and un-corruptible cop had propositioned him in the first place.

It had started at Inception, a bar his Talia owned and one that he enjoyed visiting on occasion. His little bird wasn't much for such places but had started coming somewhat regularly in October to walk one of the bar's waitresses, who was his neighbor, home at night due to a small gang that had been making trouble in their area.

The chemistry between them had been immediate that first night, when they'd both been scanning the room for trouble and had locked eyes instead. He would never forget that moment as long as he lived. And it had kept happening every time they saw each other, both intimately aware of the other and left shaken when one forced his gaze to drop away.

Naturally he'd known everything there was to know data wise on the man when Blake approached him, so he'd thought he knew who he was dealing with. Yet he'd never expected the man to ask him to bed, nor for the cop to go to his superiors once it became clear that one night would not be enough for either of them. Blake had made no effort to hide their relationship, taking the investigation by his internal police in stride and refusing to act as an informant when approached again and again to do so.

He had cops in his pocket of course, so he knew how his little bird was treated because of him.

Yet his detective never complained…and continued to see him.

He spent far too much time thinking about the man, Bane told himself, and not for the first time. But it seemed pointless to try and stop when he was about to see Blake again. When he was with his little bird the detective was all he could think about. Analyzing every move he made, ever word that left those soft looking lips that tempted him with their every quiver.

Shaking his head over those trivial thoughts Bane concentrated solely on studying the hallway he was walking down until he came to the correct door, knocking carefully since the wood was thin and would break easily enough under a normal man's strength.

)

Having been waiting for the knock Blake wasn't long in coming to the door, the delay coming from the necessary check through the Judas hole and then the undoing of the locks that he'd installed to at least give him some warning if someone came hunting for a cop. Though any criminal with brains would probably avoid him like the plague for fear of what Bane would do to him or her if they did harm a hair on his head. He knew word had gotten out about their relationship and that he was considered the property of the man who pretty much blocked the entire doorway once he'd opened the door.

A single blink was the only reaction Bane gave to the look on his man's face, knowing it well and not at all pleased not to be the cause. Or perhaps he had been, but had not been given the opportunity to be the direct cause. "You look well satisfied."

Making a confused sound Blake moved out of the way to let the much bigger man in, pondering the question. "Oh. Yeah. I have strawberry shortcake. I'm good." Not even the thought that he was considered Bane's bitch in the criminal world could dim that sugar high.

"Cake?"

"Strawberry shortcake." Blake corrected with a smile that brought his dimples out and made his eyes crinkle. "It's a major weakness of mine. I was just getting into my third piece when you knocked. It's from the bakery three blocks from here, and better than regular sex."

"Better than sex." Bane repeated, just the faintest hint of insult in his voice.

Blake grinned. "The heat we generate is anything but regular." Moving in the detective placed his lips against the man's neck over the pulse point, sucking on the skin there in long, slow pulls. It wouldn't even bruise noticeable, the man's flesh was that tough, but it was the closest thing he'd been able to come up with to replace actual kissing.

He'd never realized just how much foreplay and easing into a sexual relationship started with the meeting of lips until he'd started to sleep with a man whose lips he'd never even seen.

And understanding the gesture for what it was Bane lifted a hand to stroke his large fingers through the man's hair before cupping the back of Blake's head to keep him where he was. His way of returning the gesture.

When he pulled away Blake stroked Bane's cheek briefly before he turned to lock the door behind them, putting the multiple chains in place even though it really wasn't necessary given the other man's presence. He'd like to see some would be thief or murderer try to get past Bane to him. Well no, he wouldn't, but that was mostly because he didn't like the idea of his lover in danger. Or the idea of Bane killing the bad guy in front of him.

The two of them heading for the small apartment's even smaller living room Blake moved over to the table where he'd left his latest slice of cake. "I'll just put this in the fridge and be right back." He never ate in front of Bane, it just seemed wrong and impolite to do so.

"Finish it. I don't mind."

Good manners warred with greed, and Bane had given him the okay so…greed won.

Figuring that he could eat while Bane talked Blake asked the man about whatever book he was reading at the moment and then turned his attention back to finishing off his dessert, doing his best to listen and enjoy at the same time.

He had to be doing it on purpose, Bane thought as he kept his body under tight control, there was no way that dessert could be that good. The carnal pleasure the man was projecting, it was meant to seduce him. To entice him. Blake always seemed to enjoy their sexual encounters more when he felt that he had made him lose control after all. Naturally he'd pointed out how dangerous that was, though the bruises on the man's flesh should have been warning enough. Thus far neither warning had sunk in.

It was the spoon licking that had the large man grumbling through his mask that there was no need to put on such a show.

Following the man's pointed gaze Blake didn't have to wonder what Bane was talking about for long. Laughing he shook his head, dimples flashing again as he reminded the man that he'd said it was just that good. And seeing that he wasn't being believed Blake stuck the spoon in what was left of his treat and held out the plate. "Here. I'll go somewhere else and you can try it. Just call me when I can come back in."

"I have no need to pollute my body with some sugary concoction that does not benefit the body in any way."

"But it does have benefits." Blake argued. And since the man thought he was doing this just to seduce anyway…why not? Shifting over Blake carefully straddled one of Bane's legs, sitting on it comfortably while facing the man as he scooped up a little on his spoon and waved it teasingly in front of his lover's masked face. "It makes you feel good, just like sex." Pretend pause. "But if you don't want it...maybe you'd feed it to me instead?"

Being a master strategist Bane knew this was a trap. An idiot could see that. But his bird was watching him with such a playful, happy gleam in his eyes that Bane found himself taking the spoon from the detective, wanting to please him.

And annoyed by that urge Bane decided to annoy the man in turn by deliberately moving the spoon away from Blake when the man leaned in to take it into his mouth.

Unfortunately it didn't work that way, the younger man laughing instead as he braced his free hand on Bane's shoulder for balance as he tried to move fast enough to get his treat. Bane was faster though, his reflexes far superior and his timing impeccable. But Blake kept trying, both because he refused to admit defeat and because the leg he straddled felt so good as he rubbed against it with every movement of his body as he lunged towards the bait again and again.

Wanting both his hands free to touch Bane decided to let Blake get his treat, regretting the decision quickly as the detective punished him for making it easy by giving the spoon a blow job, sucking and licking at it in a way that had a great deal of blood leaving Bane's head and heading south to an area of his anatomy that would very much have liked to change places with that piece of silverware.

Pulling back when he was sure his point had been made Blake studied the man's eyes with pleasure, seeing just enough in them to know he had definitely hit more than a few of the man's hot spots. If he hadn't there would have been nothing to see in the man's eyes but steel walls.

Thinking that he'd give the other man another 'kiss' on the neck to soothe him a little Blake's eyes caught on something that had transferred to his lover's skin during their little game without either of them noticing. Hmmm, how convenient.

Bane tensed up at the shift in Blake's attention, wanting to know what had caught his interest.

"You got some of the cream on you." Leaning in Blake slid his tongue across the man's neck, very deliberately only lapping up a minute trace of the cream. Again and again he did that, drawing it out as long as possible as he tasted Bane's skin with just the faintest trace of the dessert he'd been snacking on. Then he nuzzled his face against his lover's neck, his nose picking up the faint smell of the medicinal gas coming from the mask. But that was just one more aspect that made up his lover's unique scent and he wanted Bane more than any sweet smelling treat.

Taking the basically empty plate from his bird with one hand Bane wrapped the other around Blake's waist as he leaned over to lightly toss the dish onto the nearby coffee table with the spoon before standing up, effortlessly supporting the smaller man's weight in his hands.

Even with his long legs Blake couldn't properly wrap them around Bane's waist as they headed for the bedroom, but he knew that Bane had him and so he turned his attention to the man's throat again, determined to try and leave a mark that would still be there come morning. It was a little annoying after all, that every morning he bore the marks of Bane's claiming while no one would know, to look at his lover, that he belonged to someone.

And okay, he knew Bane had someone special in his life who he basically worshipped and he wanted that person to know that the man was his too.

That the man belonged to him in a way Bane would never belong to her.

"You will be getting very little sleep tonight."

Shuddering deliciously at the threat Blake lifted his head just long enough to point out that that was sort of the point of Valentine's Day.

Bane almost stumbled, the hitch in his stride barely noticeable as years of training kept him on his feet as his mind tried to wrap itself around what Blake had just stated. Not being completely oblivious to the commercial holidays practiced by the materialistic masses he'd known the significance of the day, Talia had made sure of it, but it hadn't occurred to him that their scheduled rendezvous had been meant to mark the day that honored, in theory, lovers.

Naturally he'd never celebrated it. If someone gave you a heart in The Pit it had recently come out of someone's chest cavity.

"Parjarito…"

Lifting his head to meet Bane's gaze Blake let the whole calling him 'little bird' in Spanish go for the moment and answered the question he could read in the man's eyes. "You're taking me to the bed you bought me and intend to fuck my brains out till morning, right?" The bed was the only thing he'd allowed the man to buy him, and that was only because the man was directly responsible for the destruction of his last one.

"That was my plan, yes."

"Stick with the plan."


	2. Point Made

Point Made

Raising his head about a foot from his pillow Blake opened his eyes, recalled the night before, and promptly let himself fall face first back onto his pillow with the thought that smothering himself in it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Or at the very least he could deprive his brain of oxygen just long enough to cause damage to whatever part of his brain held his pain receptors. Because oh man was he going to feel how thoroughly he'd been screwed as soon as he tried to get out of bed.

He officially hated Valentines' Day more than any other holiday in the world.

Groaning at the thought Blake forced himself to turn his head so that he was looking in the direction of the empty space beside him, not the least surprised to find that when he slid an arm up and down the sheets there was no lingering warmth. There wouldn't be a note either, the bastard.

Oh but the son of a bitch was going to pay for this. How he was going to manage that was beyond Blake at the moment, but he had a fucking brain and he was damn well going to use it as soon as it started working properly.

Bane was not a gentle lover or man. He'd always known that. Not once in the months they'd spent naked together had they come close to making love, and he was okay with that. He was. But the man had taken him again and again last night until he hadn't had the energy to do anything other than submit and hope the coming orgasms didn't kill him. He wasn't entirely sure the other man's goal hadn't been to fuck him to death.

And all because he'd happened to mention what day it was.

"And some of my exes said that I have commitment issues."

Not that he'd even brought that up because he thought of them as a couple who would naturally spend a romantic holiday together. It had just slipped out, no hidden meaning behind it, but try telling Bane that, Blake thought darkly as he carefully rolled over, biting his bottom lip as he sat up on his ass.

"Oh yeah. Fuck. He broke it."

Which was not good, not good at all. And not just because he really wanted a shower and some food now that he was awake and aware enough to know he'd seriously slept in. It had to be well past breakfast time, Blake thought, checking his bedside clock for confirmation. At least he had the day off, that was something. There was no one would be around to see him dragging slash hobbling around, though he was due to meet his partner for dinner later. Ross had a thing for a waitress at this restaurant near the station and he was being dragged along because his partner wanted him there for support and a shoulder when the woman shot him down again.

He'd pointed out that constantly being seen eating alone with his gay partner might not be the best way to convince a girl to go out with you, but Ross disagreed and he owed the guy for sticking with him despite his sexuality and the Bane thing.

Not that that last part was going to be much of a problem anymore, since once he got done giving Bane shit for last night the man would probably call it quits between them and that would be that.

The fact that he was depressed by that showed just how sad and messed in the head he really was.

Working past the pain, something he was good at, thank God, Blake very slowly and carefully got out of bed and made himself feel better by calling Bane every insulting, filthy expletive that he'd learned in his thirty odd years of life as he very slowly made his way to the bathroom.

Once there he emptied his bladder and then forced himself to look in the mirror, sighing in resignation over the fact that as per usual his hips were flanked by colorful bruises where the man's fingers had dug in. His ass was probably looking a little rainbow too, Blake knew, turning a little to the side to try and get a-

"SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!"

Teeth marks, Blake processed slowly, moving in closer to the mirror, using a hand to manipulate the flesh as his brain acknowledged the logical implication of the marks scattered sporadically over his pale ass.

Sometime during the early morning Bane had taken off his MASK while in his presence and had repeatedly bitten his ass!

"I'll kill him! I'm going to fucking kill him dead! I will go to Gotham City Zoo, steal one of their elephant tranquilizer guns, load it with the deadliest poison I can find, and shoot him in his fucking ass, that…that…"

There were just no words, Blake fumed as he yanked his shower curtain aside so that he could step into the tub, having decided that a long soak was what he really needed. Though his brain wasn't even registering his body's aches and pains now, he was so pissed off. He'd tried asking, bribing, hell he'd promised blow jobs for a month if Bane would just take that goddamn mask off for one night and been shot down every time. Hard.

Oh but there was going to be hell to pay. Big time.

)

Using the garage door opener hours later Blake drove into the huge space and parked the car in his usual spot, being sure to put plenty of distance between it and the nearest vehicles since he couldn't afford the maintenance on it, much less replacing it if he wrecked it. Personally he didn't get how anyone could comfortably drive cars that cost more than some houses, especially considering the fact that they lived in a city full of idiots who didn't know how to drive, Blake thought as be grabbed his bag and then locked the car up, briefly thinking about the taxi that had cut him off ten minutes earlier.

He hated taxi drivers with a passion, and wished them all tickets and repeat towings as he headed out of the garage and around front. He had a key and let himself in, not wanting to trouble the occupants of the house and sorta hoping to try and sneak up on one of them if at all possible. It hadn't been yet but Blake kept hoping as he stowed his winter coat and boots, changing into a pair of shoes before heading deeper into the house.

Given how huge the place was it was a wonder he stumbled upon someone so quickly, Blake pausing in the doorway as he observed the man looking out the window at the falling snow. The still figure was obviously lost in his thoughts, and not good thoughts either, though the older man hid it well. Had had plenty of practice when it came to putting up a good front regardless of the weight on his shoulders.

So he'd just have to do something about that.

Setting his bag on a table Blake moved soundless across the room, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist as he deliberately put a sexy purr in his voice. "I've been missing you desperately, Darling. Run away with me now and we'll never look back."

A low chuckle and then, "You know, young man, it would serve you right if I took you up on that one of these days."

"Then all my dreams would come true." Grinning Blake rested his chin on the man's shoulder. "Happy belated Valentines' Day, Al."

Patting the hands resting lightly around him Alfred smiled as he returned the greeting, glad that the young man had decided to drop by unexpectedly. A distraction was exactly what he needed. "So did you have a good holiday with your young man?" Both he and his master had made their feelings concerning the boy's current interest quite clear, but it would be rude not to ask.

"I came by to see you and work off enough anger that I don't go after him with a really, really big gun."

Eyebrows raising Alfred turned around, his curiosity plain on his lined face. "Sounds like you have quite the story to tell then."

"Oh I've got no problem bitching about him right now, believe me. But first you're going to tell me what's wrong with you, and don't say nothing because that's not going to fly with me. I know you too well and Master Wayne is supposed to be the dark and broody one in our happy little trio. We decided, remember? So spill or no treat for you." Blake pointed behind him. "I've got one huge brownie with your name on it if you're good."

Sighing, especially since he knew the boy wouldn't give up until he got some answers, Alfred worked up a smile and told himself that he'd probably feel better if he did explain what was weighing on his mind. He couldn't talk about Bruce's personal business with anyone else, only Robin was close enough for it not to be a betrayal.

"It's likely nothing. Just an old man's…uneasiness."

"Making me guess will result in you only getting half a brownie."

Chuckling Alfred motioned his friend over to the nearby couch, taking a seat beside the detective as he thought over how best to explain his unrest. "I've mentioned Miranda Tate to you, correct?"

"Yeah, rich, Old Hollywood beauty type. She and Bruce worked together on that fusion reactor thing, the one he canceled because the thing could be used as a weapon. She's on the board of his company and she kept in touch, unlike the others who were happy to run things their way without him. The two of them have been spending time together now that he's getting out a little more." He and Alfred had been able to make the man take more of an interest in things once money had started to become an issue. Wayne Enterprises was back on its feet so to speak, but it wasn't back to its original glory yet.

"Yes. They spent this Valentines' Day together." It went unsaid that she'd spent the night.

Given how hard they'd been pushing at Bruce to move on from Rachel and start dating again Blake figured there was more to the story. "You don't like her?"

Alfred opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. "She…she leaves me cold. There's something about her that chills me to my very bones."

Crossing his arms in front of him Blake went into detective mode, asking the older man what he'd discovered when he'd looked into her background. He also had to smirk when Alfred gave him a puzzled look. "Oh please, he's your son in every way that matters. You dug up everything you could find on Bane when I started seeing him, I know you did. It's what you do when you think someone you love is headed for trouble and want to make sure of the facts. So what did you find?"

"You didn't listen when I told you what I'd found out about Bane."

Chuckling at that muttered comment Blake leaned over to pat Alfred's thigh. "But I appreciated the thought. Now quit stalling."

Knowing he was caught, Alfred gave in ruefully rather than struggle. "I looked deep and there was nothing that stood out, nothing that…parents both dead, only child, privately tutored until university. Apparently the family traveled extensively and everything I found would suggest she's exactly who she presents herself to be. And it can't be his money, she has more than enough of her own. There would be prestige in being his wife, yes, but I don't think that's it. That doesn't feel right."

"It's easier to become someone else when you claim no family or ties to early institutions." Blake pointed out, not liking this one little bit. He'd trust Alfred's instincts any day of the week and he wasn't going to let anyone lay his friend and mentor low again. That was happening over his dead body. "I can't match your hacking skills, but I'll see what I can find out. Maybe see about running into her, get an impression, shadow her even, if I can work it. We'll figure this out."

There was a wealth of affection in his voice when Alfred spoke Blake's legal first name.

"Guess that means spring will be coming early this year."

Both men got to their feet and turned to watch the master of the house come towards them, looking relaxed and content as he smirked at them. "A robin already, you going to sing?"

"Good evening, Master Wayne." Blake drawled out, giving Wayne a less than amused look. Alfred was the only one he let call him Robin, and he got his own back by insisting on calling the man Al in turn.

Making a sound of amusement Bruce asked the younger man what had brought him by.

"Well I was supposed to go out to dinner with Ross but he had to cancel since his mom dropped in on him to complain that he isn't married with kids yet. Apparently the lecture only got worse when he made the mistake of telling her that he'd planned to ask this waitress out tonight. Not good enough for her one and only child apparently and to make a long story short…I wasn't in the mood to go out anyway so I grabbed some brownies for my darling and came here to use your equipment."

"I've been trying to pry out of him why he wishes to shoot his Mr. Bane. Perhaps you'll have better luck, Master Wayne."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to wonder why this is the first time he's expressed an interest in shooting him?"

"Do you really want to get into a discussion as to which of us has the worse dating record?"

Acknowledging that the man had a point, unfortunately, Bruce shrugged it off good-naturedly. "So there are brownies, hmmm?"

"For my favorite man." Blake informed him with a head jerk in Alfred's direction. "Whether he shares any with you, well that's up to him."

Watching as his boys pretended to squabble over who was more loved and likely to get brownies from him, Alfred shook his head and then herded them both out of the room, grabbing the brownies on the way out as he informed them that neither of them was going to get so much as a crumb if they didn't start behaving like gentlemen.

)

Sweat gleamed on his skin, the ropes of muscle bunching and flexing at his command as Bane lifted a weight in each hand, the reps steady and rhythmic as his mind wandered from what he was doing. Not that he needed to think about what he was doing or to reach a certain number, he'd been working out steadily since he'd returned to his current residence to clear his mind only.

Or at least that had been the plan, one that had failed to work.

Failure was not an option though, and so he continued to push his body, knowing that he could keep going and going for hours more.

Not for the first time his gaze slid over towards the cell phone he'd set within easy grabbing distance, wondering why it had yet to ring. He knew his bird had to be angry at him, especially given the parting gift he'd given the detective's ass before he'd left. He'd expected to hear from him by now.

Perhaps Blake was freezing him out, he could see the man doing precisely that.

If it was to be a battle of silence he had no doubt he could win, but he disliked the idea of the man ignoring his existence instead of coming at him with furious eyes and clenched fists. His Robin was beautiful when he was angry.

He had let his own temper get the best of him and he knew better than that. His bird got under his skin, made him lose control far too easily. And he couldn't lose control, couldn't risk that. How could Blake not realize how dangerous it would be for him if he were to give the man what he wanted? What it would do to him to give the detective-

Attention immediately shifting as he sensed her presence in the room, Bane turned and set both weights aside before rising to his feet. "Talia."

"I never can sneak up on you, though that's probably for the best." Trying to sneak up on her Bane was a good way to get killed, especially since he was often the kill first, ask questions later sort. "I came to see if you'd like to join me for dinner, unless you have plans with your adorable Detective Blake again."

She said adorable, but he didn't think for a second she meant it. "No. I'd enjoy having dinner with you. Just let me shower first." He was a mess at the moment and wasn't fit to keep her company.

Watching her saunter over to him, there was no other word that fit, Bane watched her closely as she lifted a hand, brushing her fingertips over the side of his neck.

"It's so rare to see your skin bruised." She murmured, Bane unsure if she was talking to him or herself. He knew she was referring to the mark his bird had left on his skin, he'd nibbled on the exhausted cop's ass that morning in retribution for it. It was a mark of possession, and he was not the man's to claim. He belonged solely to Talia and always would.

But even as he thought that he automatically stepped back before the lips she'd been about to press over the bruise could touch his flesh, a hand coming up to cover it protectively. That was Blake's spot, where the man always kissed him in welcome.

She couldn't kiss him there.

"I'll be quick." Trying to hide his thoughts and irrational feelings Bane backed away and headed in the direction of the bathroom, feeling her eyes on him until he shut the door behind him.


	3. Undercover Cop

Undercover Cop

Riding in the elevator Blake searched his mind for some reason the commissioner would have called him in for a meeting. Unlike the rest of his superiors the man had left him alone concerning his relationship with Bane and he didn't have any cases that would interest the higher ups at the moment. It couldn't be about the confrontation he'd had with McGreedy, it had been over a week since then. The most likely answer was that this was about Bane somehow, Blake decided with a sigh, though he hadn't talked to the man in over a week. Bane had sent him a couple texts demanding that he get in touch, but he wasn't one of the man's lackeys. He had no intention of talking to his bed partner over the phone, especially when the bastard had been such an ass.

Bane wanted to talk to him he was going to have to come to him.

Stepping out of the elevator when it chimed his floor Blake headed out and made his way as quickly as possible to the commissioner's office, thanking the man's secretary when he was told he could go straight in. Just to be on the safe side he knocked first, letting himself in as soon as he was told to enter.

The first people he noticed were the Feds, the shoes and bad black suits tipping him off right away. The fact that one of them took one look at him and whistled low under his breath didn't make any sense to him at all, nor was the thoughtful way he was being evaluated by the other.

Thrown a little off guard by their reactions Blake turned his head to look towards the desk for answers, automatically noticing that another man, most likely a fellow cop, sat in one of the visitor chairs while Commissioner Gordon gave him a small smile and motioned him in closer from behind his desk.

"Detective Blake, these are Special Agents Cassidy and Felix of the FBI. I don't know if you've met Lieutenant Reed, he's out of Central. The rest of you, Detective John Blake."

Nodding in greeting Blake moved in and then returned his attention to his boss. "You asked to see me, Sir?"

"I did. I'd offer you a seat but I'm fresh out." A rueful look on his lined face Gordon made sure the young detective knew everything was all right before shifting into his official face that gave nothing away. "The agents are visiting our fair city because they believe a serial killer they've been hunting for seven years has recently set up house in Gotham. Lieutenant Reed has been investigating the murder of two young men they believe were victims of Jackson Grey. He's killed an estimated twenty four males between the ages of eighteen and twenty six in the last eight years." Quickly he summarized what the man was capable of, his revulsion clear as he described the rape, torture and method of disposal that were Grey's trademarks.

Listening closely Blake was more than willing to do whatever he could to help, but had no idea why he'd been called in. And there was a specific reason, he could feel it.

"The reason I asked you to come, Blake, is because Grey has certain requirements when it comes to his victims. They all have to resemble, at least superficially, Grey's first known victim. Jeremy Ricker attended high school with Grey and the latter was quite obsessed with the former. Ricker wanted nothing to do with him and Grey did not take rejection well. This is Ricker's graduation photo."

Walking forward Blake took the photograph from Gordon, lowering his gaze to take in the face staring back at him.

"Shit." Was all he said, understanding now why the agents had been looking at him so thoroughly. They weren't twins, but there was enough of a resemblance between him and the victim to freak him out and make him wonder if they weren't related somehow.

"You're too old for him, technically." Agent Felix spoke up first. "But the resemblance, as your commissioner informed us before your arrival, is too uncanny for us not to at least try to take advantage of it."

The second agent elaborated. "Three quarters of his victims were male prostitutes, he prefers them to come with him willingly, the sex consensual until he shows his true nature. The two victims that we know of here fell into that category and we'd like to try and put you in his path. Have you pose as a prostitute in the areas known to be frequented by the previous victims. A resemblance this strong, no way he'd pass you by if he sees you."

Blake didn't even have to think about it. "I'm in."

)

Two days later, standing with his back against the cool brick of a long abandoned building, Blake wondered why the hell this sick fucker couldn't have waited until summer to come to Gotham. But no, he was stuck freezing his ass off in fucking February, yay him. And that begged the question of how real prostitutes handled this day after day, standing out in the elements as they sought to gain a john's attention and hold it. The women especially, Blake thought with a shudder, the group of four on the other side of the street all wearing them. If he had to wear a skirt in this weather…he'd probably be dead by now of exposure. He was just not a winter person. Maybe once this was over he'd asked how they handled it, just in case he ever had to be out in weather like this again.

At least the bright, knee length red coat he was wearing to grab attention was warm enough where it was closed. It was one of those coats that buttoned down and he'd deliberately left them undone just above his belly button so that the thin strip of skin between his tight shirt and low riding leather pants was visible. That that area of his anatomy hadn't turned blue yet amazed him and was another reason for him to thank God that this wasn't his profession.

The eye make-up was annoying too, though Blake had to admit that he thought it looked pretty damn sexy on him. Not that he was ever, even in a million years going to admit that outloud of course, but he sort of dug the way the black eyeliner and gold eye shadow gave his eyes an exotic, sorta Ancient Egypt slant. Of course he was probably thinking that only because his brain was frozen at the moment, the detective acknowledged as he rubbed a hand over his head ruefully. He really, really wished he could wear a hat of some sort but the Feds had nicked that idea. The only things he had on his ears were two fake piercings in the left, which sure as hell did nothing to keep the heat from leaving his head.

"Hi there, Cutie."

Thank God it was a woman, Blake thought as he gave the woman old enough to be his mother a dismissive look. "I don't do women."

"Your loss." Sniffing in distain the woman sashayed off, Blake watching her go before turning his attention back to scanning the area. They'd already decided that he was safe to blow the women off, he had to take the men up on their offers in order to maintain his cover. Well, sort of. In most cases he lured them into a nearby alley where they were arrested, though two times now they'd insisted on a hotel and so he'd had to go with, see the guy arrested, and then return to his spot once enough time had passed.

He was surprisingly popular actually, which made him think about how Bane had once commented offhandedly that if he'd ended up in The Pit he'd have been fought over to the death. Naturally he'd played dumb about not knowing what 'The Pit' was, but Bane had refused to elaborate, no surprise, so he hadn't been able to ask exactly why Bane thought he'd be so popular in prison.

Thinking about the man made Blake angry all over again, which sort of worked for him since it took his mind off the fact that he was freezing and certainly got his blood moving. He'd come up with some pretty creative insults and threats where the ass was concerned by the time he noticed, his cop senses going on high alert, that he was being watched. And when his eyes sought out and found the one doing the watching Blake knew that odds were the man had been in the shadows earlier, observing, and was only now making his presence known because he wanted to be seen. He might have only met this particular badass a handful of times but he'd gotten the sense that this was a man who could give any assassin in the world a run for his or her money if he chose. A phantom, and one who obviously thought they had something to talk about as he crossed the street at an unhurried pace, dressed well for the weather and no doubt armed and ready for anything.

Straightening to his full height Blake informed the Feds that he was being approached by someone he knew and that he'd be turning off his wire for the duration of the conversation. Not waiting for their confirmation he did precisely that and then waited to see what Barsad wanted.

"Interesting look for you, Mr. Detective."

"I'm working. What do you want?"

"Not you, that's for sure. Though I did get some good pictures to show the boss when I see him next. You haven't called him."

Telling himself he didn't care about those pictures or who saw them Blake refused to comment on that as he did his best to hide his surprise that Bane's 'assistant' was interfering with things. He'd figured the man had just come over to mess with him.

"No, I haven't called him and I'm not going to. Not that it's any of your business."

"You made it my business since your stupidity is affecting him." Barsad pointed out almost lazily as he moved to lean back against the wall behind them.

"My…I'm not the one who fucked up here and if he says otherwise…nevermind, I don't give a shit. Go away or I'll turn the wire back on and arrange for you to be picked up so that I can get back to my job."

"Regardless of what he did or didn't do you're still the stupid one." He wasn't going anywhere until he'd had his say. "You haven't broken up with him but you haven't returned his text messages, much less called him. You're both in limbo, and you seem to be expecting him to make the next move when if you had a brain in your head you'd know he doesn't know how to do that. He has zero experience with this sort of thing and no template to follow and you know that."

Holding up a hand when Blake started sputtering Barsad gave him a look that said he wasn't finished. "Everything is black and white with him normally, but you're screwing up the palette and he doesn't know how to handle that. He's been raised on the idea of hierarchy and currently he's top of the food chain and you're refusing to respect what that means. Coming to you, saying he's sorry or whatever, that's not something he knows how to do. And if that's what you want you're going to have to make it easier for him or things are just going to get worse cause he's not done with you by a long shot."

Scowling, he hated that some of what the other man was saying made sense, Blake refused to cave so easily. "If you think I'll do what you want so he'll stop growling at you-."

"He's not growling. I'd be fine with that. I'm used to that. What he's doing is not sleeping, eating or taking care of business the way he should be. And people are starting to notice. The wrong people. And at the end of the day, no matter what you or he thinks, he is only human and his body can only take so much abuse before it weakens enough that his enemies will be able to take him. You want that on your conscience? Because they won't just push him aside, they'll bath in his blood if they think they can live to do it. This is Gotham after all."

Opening and closing his fists reflectively Blake wanted to shoot back any number of responses that refused to be verbalized. Because all he could think was that Barsad wouldn't lie about something like this, the man was completely devoted to Bane. For that matter Barsad had always struck him as the type who didn't say more than he had to, so the man must think this was important enough to spell it out for him. Was Bane really that upset about what had happened? Was he wrong to assume that the man understood where they stood? He had nothing to apologize for, and going to Bane would be like submitting and that wasn't going to happen. He wasn't as dominant as Bane, but he was still an alpha and he'd be damned if he'd acted the role of submissive just to make the other man happy.

Pissed off about everything and having no way to channel it, especially since he was supposed to be working, Blake glared over at the other man, not surprised when he just continued to watch him. No way Barsad was going anywhere until he heard what he wanted to hear, and what he was supposed to be doing was way more important than his messed up relationship with the man's boss.

Shit. "Look, if nothing goes down here I'm done at three. He wants to talk to me he can arrange a ride and pick me up, take me home. That's the best offer you're going to get."

"Three it is."

)

Barsad let himself into the building, found out from one of their men where Bane was, and then went in search of him. He hadn't been asked to track down Blake and talk to him, that had been his own choice and one that had left a rather bad taste in his mouth. But he would do anything for Bane and from what he'd observed and learned about Detective Blake the man's head was as hard as Bane's when it came to mule-headed stubbornness. That being the case he'd reduced to bashing Blake over the head with the fact that he was going to have to wise up or he was going to make him. Shit.

At least Bane wasn't working out again, pushing his body hard without giving it the fuel and rest it needed to function. He wouldn't have believed that something so basic as a rocky relationship could so completely lay Bane low, but that was the only logical explanation at this point and he'd done what he had to do. The man didn't even realize what he was doing to himself, and he valued his life too much to tell Bane why he had no appetite and couldn't sleep. That was not a conversation they were going to have unless there was no other option.

No, they'd concentrate on the fact that Bane didn't know how to handle the Gotham cop and the fact that nothing threw his boss off his game more than a problem he couldn't figure out, much less solve. As it was he was pretty sure the only reason Bane hadn't kidnapped Blake and forced the man to see him by now was because Bane was smart enough to know that if anything happened to the cop all eyes would immediately be on him. And they didn't want law enforcement looking too closely at them right now, especially when their plans were nearing fruition. Bane wouldn't risk displeasing Talia over Blake, if for no other reason than his boss had to realize she'd direct her wrath at the cop instead of him.

Shaking his head over the whole thing Barsad sighed and schooled his features, his face revealing nothing when he entered Bane's office one he was given permission to enter.

Pulling out his tablet Barsad lifted it up to eye level. "Have some images I thought you'd be interested in seeing."

"Images of what?"

Walking around the desk Barsad took his place at Bane's side and then accessed the video feed he'd sent to it earlier. Putting it on full screen he hit play and then angled the screen towards Bane. He'd taken general surveillance footage, lurked in a nearby alley to record one of the arrests as Blake lured a john into law enforcement's waiting arms, and plenty of close up shots of the detective's new look just for fun. He loved technology sometimes.

Bane said nothing until the video was done, the hands fisted in his lap his only reaction.

And then he spoke, Barsad hard pressed to remember the last time the man's mechanized voice had sounded quite so chilling and deadly. "Where is he?"

"My guess is they aren't sticking to a particular spot, they seem to be hunting someone in particular. I'll have one of our hackers find out who exactly if you want. What you do need to know is that unless they catch their prey tonight he's done at three in the morning and is willing to accept a ride back to his place. I'll arrange for a car and you two can hash things out then."

A long silence and then…

"Leave the address with me. Go find him again and shadow him until I come for him."

"Yes, Sir."


	4. Out of the Cold

Out Of The Cold

The vehicle was a cross between a limo and a hummer, one Bane hadn't even been aware was at his disposal. Apparently it was built to withstand anything shot at it, be it bullet or missile, but that wasn't important at the moment. No, all the mattered was that he get to his bird as quickly as possible so that he could yell at him. At this point, if not for the fact that he knew Barsad was guarding the younger man, he'd have ditched the vehicle and made his way on foot, unable to stand the confined space.

But Barsad was with Blake and that meant he was safe, Bane reminded himself for the hundredth time since he'd discovered just what his detective had gotten himself involved in. Because that information had only been reported to him fifteen minutes ago, he'd hesitated to request it at first because he knew it would be reported to Talia and he wanted her thinking about Blake as little as possible. But curiosity had won out and when he'd started to read the dossier on Jackson Grey…the photos of the man's first official kill, before and after…

Bait. His beautiful, proud bird was being used like a worm on a hook by the department he was willing to die for, and had Commissioner Gordon been within reach in those first few moments of understanding he would have ripped the man to pieces with his bare hands.

Once the rage had dimmed enough for his brain to function rationally he'd realized that odds were Blake had volunteered for the job knowing what he was going up against. The man's devotion to the ideals of serve and protect a terrifying thing. And his detective was always thorough, he would have researched his target even if the Feds had withheld what they could to lure him into accepting the mission. So Blake knew and had made this choice regardless.

Knowing that didn't lessen his fury, it just widened it to include the man he was on his way to retrieve and there was going to be hell to pay once he got ahold of him.

)

When the vehicle came to a stop at the appointed place Bane got up and walked over to the door, opening it wide before stepping back and retaking his earlier seat. His bird was there as promised, walking towards him with a swing to his hips that was not his normal stride. And then Blake stuck his head in and began to speak, though not to him. As he listened the detective informed whoever was listening in that his ride had arrived and would see him safely home. He'd meet them at the new location tomorrow.

Reaching inside his coat Blake removed and shut off the wire pieces, deliberately showed them to Bane and then stuck them back in his pocket. Then he got in and shut the door behind him, the vehicle immediately beginning to move.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Not waiting for an invitation or even giving warning Blake all but launched himself at Bane, who was so surprised by the action that he momentarily forgot everything he'd been about to say. But his brain, tired as it was, clicked into gear seconds later, understanding dawning. It wasn't him his detective wanted, it was his body heat.

Teeth starting to chatter a little now that he was somewhere warm Blake stuttered out the fact that they'd argue shortly once he was warm enough to do so. For the moment he was far too busy trying to get as close to the extreme heat Bane was giving off as possible, all but grinding himself against the man for the warmth of the friction.

Reacting to the other man's need Bane slid his hands under the man's coat, splaying his hands over Blake's cold sides and flinching just a little at the almost sexual groan of pleasure that escaped Blake's lips at the contact. The coldness of his bird's flesh pissed him off though, focusing him so that he turned his attention to rubbing warmth back into the body that belonged to him, grumbling under his breath that Blake had been beyond foolish to dress so inappropriately given the weather.

"Had…had to show off the merchandise." Blake managed to get out, unconsciously nuzzling his face against Bane's neck like a kitten. In some logical part of his brain he knew that this was not the way to go about establishing his dominance and unwillingness to be manipulated, but screw it, he needed the warmth more than his pride currently.

And once the shivers were under control and he felt mostly de-thawed Blake moved to sit up straighter, mind already trying to formulate a plan as to how he was going to get off the other man's lap with his dignity intact given the arms currently holding him in place. Then he got a look at Bane's face and he forgot all about that and everything else.

"Shit." He'd told himself over the past couple hours that Barsad had been exaggerating how badly Bane was taking their 'break' from each other, but apparently not. The dark circles under those cold eyes spoke volumes, as did the pallor of the man's skin. "You look worse than I do."

That was all he got out before Bane was moving in a startling blur that had Blake dumped onto the seat and having his thighs straddled at the same time as he was caged in on all sides with the much larger man looming over him like the wrath of God. Not a word passed his lips, the look in Bane's feral eyes shutting him down that quickly and efficiently.

Biting off every word Bane described, step by step, what they believed was done to Jackson Grey's victims before they were finally finished off, no doubt beyond caring at that point what happened next, so lost in the agonizing pain and memories that they weren't even begging for death anymore. He'd grown up in a prison and had known men like Grey, seen them tear other men apart from the inside out for their own pleasure, the pain that caused their release. He'd seen and heard too many rapes to count before he'd reached adulthood and so he knew, knew in the darkest corners of his mind, what he was talking about as he painted vivid pictures in both their minds as to what could happen to his bird at the hands of the man the detective was trying to find.

Paling, eyes wide and unable to look away, Blake couldn't bloke the images, nor could he help but know that Bane knew far too much about the horrors monsters could force upon their victims. He had no illusions, he knew what it was like in regular prisons and had times that by fifty when it came to the one Bane had grown up in, knowing that even then that probably didn't come close to what it had been like. That it was a hell on earth only its residents could even begin to truly phantom. What it had done to the man trying so hard to scare the shit out of him…he could see it in those steel blue eyes.

It was because of that knowledge that he didn't fight, argue, or remind Bane of the fact that he sure as hell didn't have the right to behave and treat him this way. He just stayed still and quiet until Bane was done and then reached up, placing a hand on each covered cheek so that his thumbs could press against the small amount of skin showing there. "Someone has to stop that from happening again. And someone has to get justice for the victims. If I backed out of this because of what he might do to me I'd be another victim. And I refuse to be that ever again."

"Did you not hear what I said?"

"I'm going to have nightmares about what you said." Was his honest answer. "I can live with that. I've had them before and I'll have them again. That's a price a good cop has to pay."

Grasping Blake's chin in a hold that was guaranteed to bruise, Bane's tone promised untold horrors when he ordered the detective to give this case up.

"No."

In a snap the animal took over completely, not an ounce of humanity or intelligence visible in Bane's eyes now as he leaned in so that their breath mingled.

Faced with a predator that was ready to rip out his throat, which was ironic given why Bane was ready to snap, Blake swallowed hard, the years he'd spent learning how to harness his anger and fear coming into play as he stroked his thumbs over Blake's cheeks and then dropped his hands down to slide under the man's coat and shirt. Fingers sliding over the deeply scarred skin of Bane's back Blake maintained eye contact and ran his hands up and down in long, drawn out caresses meant to soothe.

The minutes ticked by and slowly the tension leeched out of both of them, Blake continuing to stroke even when the muscles under his hands began to relax and loosen under his fingertips. And as he watched the intelligence that was so unexpected in someone of Bane's mass and reputation come back into the other man's eyes Blake smiled a little, doing his best to hide his relief.

He could see now why Barsad had come to him, had insisted he settle things with Bane ASAP. Barsad had realized the man was close to snapping and had wanted to advert that at all costs. He didn't know if he was the sole cause of Bane's fury, but what he was doing now had been the final straw where the man's control was concerned. If he'd handled this badly there was no telling what Bane would have done.

Bane knew it too, his voice hoarse when the words escaped the mask.

"Why aren't you afraid?"

"You'd hurt me, but you won't kill me. Not over something like this. I know that."

Bane reacted to the statement by moving away and taking the seat beside him, not speaking another word for the rest of the fifteen minute drive to Blake's apartment. Going by instinct again Blake didn't try to talk or bring up all the things still up in the air between them. That could wait for another time when Bane was up to fighting with him on an equal playing field. He was no match for the other man physically, and right now that was the only outcome if they got into it.

So he stayed quiet until they pulled up to the curb. "Bane?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not having sex with you. We have some fighting to do before that's even on the table, if it ever is at this point. But if you think it will help you get some sleep you can come up and spend the night in my bed with me."

He wanted to say no, to get as far away from Blake as possible after the way he'd behaved, but Bane couldn't shake the feeling that if he did that, backed away now, he'd be making a horrible mistake that would ends things.

"I would like to come up with you."

"Okay then. Tell your driver to pick you up at twelve thirty, we're going to aim for at least eight hours."

They both got out then, Bane having a brief word with the driver to inform him when he was to come and pick him up before following Blake into the quiet apartment building.

)

Stepping into his bedroom minutes later Blake moved off to the side to let Bane in and then turned to face the looming figure who watched him so closely in the dark room lit only by the city lights coming through the windows. "I'm going to wash all this crap off my face, I'll join you when I'm done."

Bane watched him go and then turned his attention to removing all but his pants, not wanting to push his luck by taking those off as well. Walking over to the bed he pulled back the covers and slide in, taking up most of the bed as it was only a king, the room too small for anything bigger. Normally he slept on his side when he wasn't alone, and he'd shift his position when the other man joined him, but for the moment he lay there and closed his eyes, soaking up the knowledge that the animal inside him had shown itself and his bird hadn't rejected him. Hadn't so much as flinched. And now here he was by invitation, being offered an act that was, in so many ways, more intimate than any sexual act.

When Blake came back into the room he was wearing a loose, long sleeved shirt and pajama bottoms, moving through the shadowed darkness with easy familiarity.

"Stay as you are."

Lifting the covers Blake slid in and then shifted over to lie on Bane's chest, tucking his head under the man's jaw with one hand resting over Bane's heart. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, but why?" They'd never slept like this together before.

"Because neither of us wants nightmares tonight."

He…he would be keeping Blake from having bad dreams? His bird saw him as protection against the monsters of the world as opposed to one of them? And more, the detective wanted to offer that same comfort, protection to him…

Silence descended and soon his exhaustion, both physical and mental, began to drag Blake into unconsciousness. But he still heard Bane's quiet request, his lips curving ever so slightly in response. "So long as you get the no sex thing, yes."

Having received permission Bane moved his hands under his bird's shirt, stroking the man's back in a repeat of earlier until he joined Blake in sleep, his fingers remaining splayed over the warm skin of his man's back.

)

Waking up when he felt Blake's body weight leave him Bane continued to feign sleep, opening his eyes only when he heard the bathroom door close behind the other man. Then he sat up with his back against the bed's headboard, blinking at the light coming through the windows as he absorbed the fact that he'd slept through the morning without waking once. He didn't sleep well or deeply as a general rule, the need to be aware in slumber too ingrained from his years in prison. The last two weeks had been unusually bad, that must have simply caught up to him, Bane decided, willing to admit that maybe Barsad had had a point about him needing to rest his body more.

Looking around him, the room familiar to him, his eyes came to rest of the pair of leather pants that had been draped over a chair. Pushing aside the covers Bane got out of the bed and walked across the room to pick the offending garment up. It wasn't the pair his bird had been wearing the night before, these ones weren't studded, and…had zippers on either side from top to bottom. And on the dresser were earrings and the make-up his bird had worn the night before.

He was still holding the pants when Blake came back into the room wearing nothing but water and a towel around his waist.

"They wouldn't fit you."

Eyes moving to watch water slide over the other man's skin Bane felt the familiar heat flare between them, sharply reminding him of the fact that they'd had no real sexual contact since he'd left the man's apartment. Unlike most men he'd never been ruled by his cock, he could do without sex easily and in general preferred his own hand as most that were willing to have sex with him were only interested in what they could get out of the transaction. But Blake was different, had only ever wanted him.

And he'd never wanted anyone the way he wanted his bird. Had never needed anyone this way and needed to touch. To claim what was his again.

Reading the man's intent, as well as feeling the heat of the attraction that always flared between them, Blake gave Bane a warning look, annoyed that he hadn't remembered to take clothes into the bathroom with him. "No sex, remember."

Moving in closer Bane placed his free hand on Blake's butt and used that to move him closer. "What do you want in order to change that?"

Doing his best to ignore the large hand on his ass, no easy task, Blake couldn't make himself move out from under Bane's touch. And since Barsad had reminded him that Bane wasn't experienced when it came to even the most rudimentary relationships… "Do you understand why I'm so pissed at you?"

Both taken aback and intrigued by the man's tone of voice Bane answered the question, stating his belief that Blake was angry because he'd left marks on his ass that others might see, and possibly because he'd left without saying good bye.

"So no, you have no friggin idea why I'm mad at you."

That was possible, Bane silently acknowledged, his detective a hard man to understand a lot of the time since they were so very different in mindset. He didn't think it was because he hadn't bought the man anything for Valentine's Day, his little bird cared little for material things and preferred paying for what he did need. So… "You're angry you were sore afterwards?" He'd had to carry the man to his own bathtub to soak in after their first night together and Blake hadn't complained, but he'd been more…demanding their last night together.

"Trying to fuck me to death wasn't nice, but no, I wanted to shoot you that morning for an entirely different reason." His turn to move in closer Blake jabbed a finger into Bane's considerable chest. "You were right that it's about my ass, but it's not about the marks themselves. Hell, at this point I'm used to people siccing the goddamn departmental shrink on me because they think you're abusing me. What PISSES me off is that you took your mask off to make those fucking marks!"

"Explain."

"I shouldn't have to explain!"


	5. Deal With It

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and the original characters.

Note: This fanfic will be a combination of Nolan's Batman AND the original Batman comics. Depiction of Bane and others will be colored by that.

Deal With It

Making a sound of frustration Blake pushed Bane's hand off his ass just because, pissed that he really was going to have to explain. Bane would just hound him until he did anyway. "How can you not…you probably have a higher IQ than I do, for fuck sakes. Do I seriously have to spell it out to you?" When Bane just continued to give him that lethal death stare of his Blake took that as a yes. "You idiot, I've been asking for weeks for you to at least take that damn thing off when we're in bed together. I promised sexual favors for Christ's sakes and you still said no. And then you do it to punish me for bringing up what holiday our meeting just happened to fall on? Can you not see how…that's like me begging you for a glass of water and you not only refusing to give it to me, but dumping it on the ground to add insult to the fucking injury!"

Holding up a single finger in a gesture meant to ask for a moment to contemplate, Bane studied Blake's furious face and did precisely that. "To beg for a glass of water you would have to be very thirsty." He finally stated, his tone betraying nothing. "Why should my mask mean so much to you?"

"We're not fighting about that right now! Right now we're fighting over the fact that you don't have any fucking reason to wear that damn mask when you're with me, but you do it anyway! I told myself that maybe you had to wear it and just didn't want to say, didn't want me to know you actually had a goddamn weakness. I know what morphine smells like, and if you needed the mask medically for some reason then I'd have left it alone. But you took it off, willingly, and proved that wasn't the case. That you only have that on because either you think I'm some vain prick who won't screw around with someone with some sort of mouth defect, or I'm good enough to fuck but not enough to be trusted with what your face actually looks like because you're fucking paranoid. Either way you're insulting and demeaning me and NO ONE treats me like that and stays in my life these days."

Bane had noticed already that the more Blake used the word 'fuck' the more pissed off he was. His bird was getting very angry with him and not knowing how to hold a fight in this particular arena Bane knew only how to be blunt. "It is neither of those things. I don't take the mask off in front of people. Taking it off to bite your ass was a momentary lapse in judgment that was meant to warn you about being possessive, nothing more. It won't happen again." He wanted people only to see him at his most fierce and inhuman, to fear him enough to leave him the hell alone or obey him when necessary. He might not want Blake to fear him, but he needed the man to respect who he was dealing with.

Trading glares with Bane Blake took a deep breath and then asked the question that was a large part of why this was such a big issue to him. "A month ago someone called you, and you stated you'd be meeting that person as requested for dinner." A short pause. "Did you just sit there and watch this person eat…or did you join him or her?" He thought her, but didn't say. That wasn't what was important yet.

Understanding dawning Bane marveled that both Talia and Blake would feel so jealous and threatened by the other. The detective's feelings were a little more understandable, their relationship was much newer and his bird didn't know Talia, but still…it was actually rather warming in this case, especially since he sensed he was the one Blake would hurt, not Talia. But as he'd stated earlier, he didn't want the other man to believe he had rights over him.

"The person I ate dinner with that night is one who knew me before I had the mask. Seeing me with or without it matters not."

"So because I didn't know you then I can't see you without it?"

"If you had known me then you would not be alive now, Parjarito. You would not have survived."

This person had been in 'The Pit' with Bane, Blake wondered, his curiosity and need to know overriding his anger for the moment. If that was the case he was wrong about gender, a woman would have died even quicker than him in that sort of place. But Bane's tone of voice when he'd talked to this person of his…had been soft, gentle…fuck.

Opening his mouth to spew venom and kick the lying, cheating son of a bitch out of his apartment and life forever, Blake's somewhat rational mind stopped him just in time. One of the few things he'd ever asked from the other man was fidelity while they were sleeping together and other than that single call he had no proof he'd been cheated on. He needed to handle this like an adult or things would go to hell in a hand basket.

Plus Bane wouldn't go anywhere until the man was good and ready to go anyway.

"This person is important to you, and you trust this person, right?"

Wary, Bane slowly nodded in affirmation.

His relationship with Bane was based on sex. They really didn't have a relationship so much as an agreement to be monogamous and not discuss their professional lives. Demanding trust and information would make this something more than it could be given their places within the world and Blake had to acknowledge that. So at the end of the day he had to accept what was and the price to be paid for that, or end things now because a real relationship could never be.

"What are you thinking?"

Rubbing his hands over his face Blake's voice was weary. "If I tried to end things here and now, what would you say?"

"I won't allow it."

Letting his hands drop to his side Blake's voice was laced with tired, dark humor. "You have too much pride to rape or coerce someone into sex."

"You want me." Bane pointed out, his eyes daring the detective to deny it.

"You aren't the first or last man I've wanted and couldn't have."

Taking the steps necessary to get up and into his bird's personal space Bane glared and growled as he made it clear he would not be replaced in the other man's bed. His bird was his until he decided otherwise. No one else was allowed to have him.

Not backing down Blake allowed himself to be crowded in, meeting Bane's fury head on. "You don't want the right to demand that."

Confusion flashed in Bane's eyes. "I do want that right." Wasn't that what they were fighting about now?

"No, you don't. Because if I GAVE you the right to claim me as yours, you'd have to give me those same rights and you don't want that." And seeing that Bane was refusing to understand Blake gave up. "Look, talk to Barsad, okay? Hot and badass as he is he's probably been in enough relationships to explain this to you without wanting to shoot you."

And on that note Blake brushed passed Bane and tossed the towel onto the floor, sliding back into his bed naked before pulling the covers up and over his head.

"Your ride will be here shortly, I'll get up to lock the door once you go."

)

Normally Bane would have never, ever gone to his lieutenant for advice when it came to Blake. He wasn't the sort to reveal any weakness to anyone, not even Talia, but it had taken all of his control not to physically drag the detective out of bed earlier and he couldn't stand the fact that every time he thought he understood where he and his bird stood something caused the ground to shift under them again. Plus his bird had informed him that Barsad was hot, which made him want to punish the man however irrational that was. He was pretty sure asking the man for advice counted as a punishment in his lieutenant's books. And thus sexual and mental frustration had him spewing all over Barsad as soon as he discovered that the man was waiting for him in the back of the same vehicle he'd used the night before.

Not knowing what else to do Barsad listened, thinking mentally that he wasn't Doctor Fucking Phil for fuck sakes, but resigned himself to learning far more than he wanted to know about his boss's relationship with his boy toy.

It was even worse for the mercenary when he realized that the other man had indeed fucked things up with Blake royally, and that the detective was mostly not at fault except for the fact that the man had started the relationship with Bane in the first place.

If I believed in a god I'd be cursing him now, Barsad mentally cursed when Bane went silent, obviously expecting him to agree that Blake was being irrational and should not be withholding sex from him.

"Since you probably want me to shadow him again tonight I can talk to him again." That would be better and kinder to his health. Blake might not like him, but the cop couldn't snap his neck like a twig either.

Unfortunately Bane could read him a lot easier than Blake for some reason.

"You're on his side."

"I am and always will be on your side." Barsad corrected, his tone dead serious. Because while his first loyalty was supposed to be to Talia, Barsad had long ago switched his allegiance over to Bane. No one had noticed since Bane did whatever she asked of him, but if they were to part ways…he would stick with the man brooding beside him.

And Barsad would have allowed the silence that fell between them continue quite happily except for one little problem. He wanted to keep Blake in Bane's life and that wasn't going to happen if the two broke up over this. Aside from Talia the Gotham cop was the only person he'd ever seen get under Bane's shields so easily, and unlike the woman Bane idolized Barsad had complete faith that Blake would never use or sacrifice Bane for any reason. Blake was a protector, not a soldier. And if the detective could supersede Talia in Bane's affections…then maybe the psycho bitch's plans for Gotham could be derailed.

So not talking wasn't an option.

"The shit he gets for being with you, it has to wear on him, make him angry and frustrated and wondering why he's with you sometimes. He got the losing end of your relationship straw so to speak and he knows it, which has to chafe some. He wants a closer bond with you because he's finally realized that no one goes through all that shit just for sex. You want the rights of a lover without the responsibilities that come with that. That's the problem."

"What are the rights and responsibilities?"

Seriously? Was he going to have to buy the man a relationship self help book? No, forget that, those things were probably crap anyway.

"It varies, but in Blake's books the rights would be exclusivity, the sex, and the right to be possessive and have some say in the detective's decision making. Responsibilities would be giving those same rights to Blake, plus the presents expected on special occasions. There's more if the relationship were more long term, but those are the basics pretty much."

So he did want the rights but not the responsibilities, Bane acknowledged, not sure where that left them.

And not having all that much luck with relationships himself Barsad couldn't really offer any sure fire solutions. At least not to Bane.

)

Blake wasn't really surprised to see Barsad that night. They'd moved locations, and this operation was only known to a few key members, but he'd figured that wouldn't stop Bane and his men from finding him if they wanted to. Hell, as much as it pained him, he knew too much about the history of Gotham's police to fool himself into believing that there weren't cops on the take who might report to Bane or his ass of a man's unsavory associates. So he wasn't surprised, but was still pissed enough that he informed the other man that he wasn't turning off the wire.

More amused than annoyed, Barsad just shrugged and informed Blake that he'd been given orders to shadow him from now on while he was playing hooker. Whether Blake liked it or not was the underlying message.

"You fuck with this op and the Feds will come down on you."

The look Barsad gave him made it clear just how scary he found that possibility. "I'll get out of sight after I give you a piece of advice. And you might want to kill the wire for it." He added, mostly because he didn't want a recorded record of what he was about to say. Bane would not be pleased with him.

Blake's gaze was penetrating as he considered, finally telling the man he had two minutes and then turned off the wire, pointedly looking at his watch to indicate he was serious about the time limit.

"Take your mouth out of the equation."

Surprise was written all over the detective's face. "What?"

"You heard me. You want him to take the mask off then show him how it feels to be in your shoes. Thanks to you siccing him on me, and I will pay you back for that, FYI, I've got the just of what's going on. Give him sex but not your mouth. It will get you what you want without the fighting."

Opening and closing his mouth Blake blurted out what he was thinking. "That's fucking brilliant."

"Which is why you didn't think of it."

He'd let that go for the moment. "I didn't think he'd actually go to you for advice."

"Me neither. Don't put the idea in his head again."

"Depends on how you pay me back." Blake shot back with a hint of a grin before asking the obvious question. "Why are you helping me and not him?"

"I'm helping him by helping you."

Considering this Blake couldn't see any reason why the man would want his boss involved with a cop, but he couldn't see how Barsad's plan couldn't work either. And asking the man to explain himself further wouldn't work, especially since he didn't imagine Bane would take kindly to the help the other man was giving him. So instead he asked a practical question. "Is he coming to pick me up again at three?"

"You going to use strategy instead of blunt force trauma this time?"

Blake nodded.

"Then yeah, I'll arrange it."

"Thanks."

Barsad, making it clear with just a look how little he cared, simply turned and disappeared back into the shadows that welcomed him like a lover, already pulling out his phone to place a call. He'd just make it sound like he'd reasoned with the cop on Bane's behalf, he decided. Then he'd get credit AND Bane would underestimate Blake.

And the more his boss did the latter the better at this point.

)

Frankly Bane was wary despite Barsad's reassurance that he'd fixed things with Blake. He was pretty sure the other man was simply failing to recognize just how stubborn and cunning his little bird could be when he applied himself to the task. And yet his second in command was not a man to misjudge and he couldn't argue that Barsad could be very persuasive when he wished to be.

Though he intensely disliked the idea that the other man might be able to so easily tame Blake when he could not.

Pushing those thoughts aside as his infamous control would be needed shortly, Bane turned his attention to gazing out the window, straightening in his seat when he could see the man he'd come for talking to two women up the street, the attire of the females making it clear as to their profession and availability. One of them had her arm around Blake's shoulder, which he didn't like one little bit.

He saw them notice his vehicle approach, and he didn't know what his bird said to them but they simply waved him off and let him walk over to meet him alone. Once again Bane got up, opened the door and backed off, his bird getting in this time before informing those listening that he was turning the wire off and going home.

Unlike the previous morning the cop didn't throw himself at him, though it was obvious that he was as cold today as he'd been the day before. And then Blake was speaking and Bane forgot everything else.

"So we go back to the beginning. Sex only and neither of us has the right to interfere or demand anything but fidelity from the other. I'll tolerate you siccing Barsad on me for this particular case." Blake spoke each word carefully, his teeth wanting desperately to chatter, but he was not showing weakness now, he thought determinedly, especially since he'd expanded on Barsad's plan in the hours he'd had to think it through. "Agreed?"

He didn't like it, but recognized that it was this or nothing. It would be for the best to revert back to their earlier arrangement anyway, and he knew it. Talia hadn't minded Blake's presence in his life until he'd started actually sleeping with the detective, and her plans would be put into motion soon enough as well. His bird would want nothing to do with him after that happened, and he hadn't worked the other man out of his system yet. So he would take what he could get while he could have it.

"Agreed."

"Okay then."

As before Blake slid into Bane's lap, deliberately sliding his icy cold hands under the other man's clothing to press them against Bane's warm flesh, leaning in to placing his lips against the man's ear as he did so.

And aiming for a purr, Blake told Bane he needed him to warm him up.


	6. Manipulate Me

Manipulate Me

He wasn't smarter than Bane, and it went without saying that he wasn't physically stronger. He probably wasn't more cunning either, but Blake did know of one area where he did have more experience than the other man and that was when it came to sex and seduction. So he wasn't going to argue or rationalize, attempt to bribe or demand what he wanted from the man anymore. That would just get him a migraine and a man that much more determined to control him. The time for being straightforward had passed, it was time to play dirty.

He had a Plan A and B now too, and would refine them more in the days to come, Blake thought as he withdrew his slightly warmed hands from Bane's back and lowered them to his masked man's belt. But for now he'd distract so that Bane didn't see what he was up to until it was too late.

Looking down at the hands that were undoing his pants Bane was very much aware of both Blake and their present surroundings. "We're in a car."

"I'm aware of that. But neither of us is driving, and I want you now."

Flinching ever so slightly as a still cool hand wrapped its fingers around his rapidly growing erection Bane knew intellectually that there had to be some sort of catch, that his little bird had to be up to something with this sudden, about face. There was no way the other man had gone from being as angry as he'd been that morning to so eager to jump him that he didn't care where they were. He wasn't a fool.

Wrapping a restraining hand around Blake's wrist Bane informed him firmly that he wasn't fucking him on the car's seat.

"Of course not." Pretending to give in Blake waited until his arm was free once more before he smiled and pointed out that the seats weren't wide enough for them to screw around on. That's why they'd have to use the floor.

Having made his intentions clear Blake slid off Bane's lap and undid his coat to reveal the see through black shirt he was wearing, giving the man a moment to appreciate the way his muscles showed through the material before deliberately giving the other man one hell of a tempting view by turning around and insuring that the leather pants he wore molded to his ass as he laid out his coat over the carpeted flooring. And when that was done he dropped to his knees and then rolled over so that he was propped up on his elbows as he lay waiting for the other man to join him, deliberately licking his licks for added emphasis.

It was a trap. He knew it was a trap. He didn't know what the man hoped to gain but this was a trap and he was not about to fall for it. He was too smart for that. Not happening. He was stronger than-oh shit this was bad.

Challenged instead of discouraged, Blake just continued to smile as he sat up and grasped the zippers on either side of his pants, slowly drawing them down in tandem. Over his thighs and down to his knees, the detective's eyes never left Bane's as he unzipped the leather until he reached the bottom, separating the material so that the pants came apart to leave him basically naked from the waist down.

Not going to give in, Bane told himself, unaware that his knuckles were white as the fists he was making drained them of blood. He was in charge and he was not going to- Oh fuck.

Recognizing what Blake had just retrieved from the pocket of his coat Bane's voice cracked a little behind the mask as he demanded to know why he would be carrying lube around with him.

"I have condoms too." Blake informed him wickedly, retrieving one from the same pocket and tossing the package in Bane's direction. "I actually brought them along as props, I would have thought more johns would ask about it." Forgetting his role of seducer for the moment Blake frowned and muttered how wrong it was that only a handful of the men had even mentioned the necessity of protection before he'd had their asses arrested. I mean wasn't it bad enough that they were risking legal consequences without taking chances with their health too? Did they not know the statistics?

The very Detective Blake muttering gave Bane the strength to gain what control he'd lost and toss the condom back to the other man with a repeat of his statement that they weren't having sex in the car.

"Fine. I'll warm myself up then. I've been practicing during our little cease sex."

Using the lube to wet his fingers Blake spread his legs without hesitation and arching his back in silent offering slid his hand between his legs and began to oh so slowly work his fingers inside of him, making no effort in the slightest to hide his reaction to the stimulation of his own touch and the eyes that were burning into his flesh as Bane's hot gaze watched every move he made. Nope, moaning like a porn star could only help at that moment as far as he was concerned.

He couldn't have torn his gaze away if Talia had suddenly magically appeared in the vehicle with them, Bane realized dimly, his hormones too in control for him to marvel over that fact. All he saw was his bird offering himself up to him and…All he wanted…and would have. Now.

Surging forward, unable to take anymore, Bane moved the short distance between them and yanked Blake's legs further apart as he moved between them. "Put it on me." He growled as he shoved aside his clothing to free his erection, the look in his eyes making it clear that if Blake didn't get the condom on him ASAP he'd take the man bare and to hell with being responsible.

Shuddering in relief and excitement, god but Bane's control was fucking amazing, Blake quickly ripped the package open and reached down between their bodies to slide the protection into place. As always it barely fit, eagerness making his hands shake a little before he closed the lube covered hands over Bane's erection to transfer some of the lotion onto him.

Bane allowed it only for a few moments before he batted the hand away, lifting Blake's legs up to rest them in the crooks of his elbows to keep them just where he wanted them. "You didn't want to wait. So no waiting."

And that was all the warning Bane gave before he used his hands to finish angling Blake's body for his penetration, thrusting in hard and deep.

Having prepared for this, both minutes before and earlier while on a 'bathroom' break, Blake still cried out as his fingers dug uselessly into his coat, knowing he'd be sliding forward with every powerful thrust if not for the hold Bane had on his body, keeping him in place while his ass was taken and plundered ruthlessly. And knowing there was nothing he could do Blake simply surrendered and went pliant, the other man's growl of triumph bringing a smile to his lips for a brief moment before he had to concentrate on getting more oxygen into his body since Bane kept fucking the air out of his lungs and he didn't want to miss a second of this by passing out. Especially when he figured out that the other man intended to drag things out to punish him, thus requiring him to tighten his inner muscles around Bane's erection with every thrust to increase the friction and drive the man crazy with need.

And while it was certainly touch and go as the minutes ticked off as to who would get their way, Blake considered himself the victor when he caused Bane to orgasm first, the detective following close behind even without his lover's help. All in all, it was a damn good way to start their war to Blake's way of thinking.

)

Staring at the book in his hand much later that day, Bane was dimly aware of the fact that he'd been on the same page for the last ten minutes or so. And he couldn't even remember what he'd read before that, the mercenary thought in disgust as he set it aside, feeling ready to leap out of his skin if he wasn't given an appropriate outlet for everything he was feeling and churning around in his gut. Idleness was bad enough, but throw in the morning he'd had and Bane really wished that someone would come in guns blazing to question his authority so that he'd have an excuse to kill somebody.

What was his little bird up to?!

And what the hell had that car ride been about? They'd had sex in a moving vehicle. The driver had probably heard Blake, the man had screamed when he'd climaxed loud enough that his own ears had rang. Never had the man behaved so…deliberately seductive. His bird was alluring enough without trying, when the man was trying he was…dangerous. Very dangerous. And he hadn't had the chance to interrogate the detective either because when his brain had started to work after his own orgasm he'd discovered that his lover had fallen asleep underneath him, which really shouldn't have been possible given their physical positions at the time, but Blake had managed it.

The detective had been wearing a very pleased smile on his face too.

He'd ended up redressing the man and carrying him up to his apartment, putting the man into his pajamas and into bed without waking him. He'd stayed because, well just because, and when he'd woken up it was to find himself ball deep in his man's ass and a sleepy eyed Blake demanding that he do something about it.

Groaning, Bane dropped his head in his hands and cursed the fact that his body so readily reacted to the mere memory of his 'wake-up call'. It had certainly been a pleasurable way of waking up and starting the day, but still…he was no one's fool. Though he felt like one because he couldn't see what Blake hoped to gain from suddenly playing the male version of a femme fatale. Unless his bird thought to seduce him so thoroughly that he'd suddenly give in to any request the man might make of him, but surely his bird couldn't be so foolish as to think that would work.

It didn't help that the possibility of a trap wasn't the only thing weighing on his mind either. Lifting a hand Bane placed a hand over his throat, well aware of the fact that it hadn't been touched by his bird's lips in well over a week. Blake had seen him to the door earlier, but there had been no 'kiss' good bye. Not once had the man's lips touched him in the car or while they were in bed together.

A possible trap AND punishment?

What was his little bird up to?

)

Ten city blocks away from Bane's place, a fact he was intimately aware of, Blake made his way through the boy's home he knew like the back of his hand, having been placed here when the foster system had finally washed their hands of him. The building was quiet at the moment, the boys in class currently, which was perfect since he didn't want anyone around to remember his visit. Or eavesdrop on what he'd come here to discuss with the man who ran the home and who's help he needed in order to get a good, up close look at Miranda Tate, Blake mentally added.

Finding Father Reilly in his office, catching up on paperwork from the looks of it, Blake knocked on the open door to get the man's attention.

"John." A wide, welcoming smile crossed the man's face as he pushed back his chair and came around his desk to greet his former charge. "It's good to see you."

Returning the hug Blake allowed himself to be engage in the usual chitchat before he got to the point of his visit. "I need a favor."

Surprised, it wasn't the boy's nature to ask anything of anyone unless he absolutely had to or it was for someone else, Reilly couldn't quite disguise his curiosity as he asked what the nature of the favor was.

"Play along and then I'll explain." Reaching into his pocket Blake pulled out the envelope containing the single earring he'd bought earlier, the cheap piece of jewelry fancy looking enough that someone who didn't know shit about jewelry might think it was expensive. "As one of your boys I'm telling you that I found this earring under a table and I think it must belong to that fancy lady who came here a couple weeks ago with Bruce Wayne to visit us."

Accepting the envelope automatically the priest nodded in acceptance.

"Now tell me what one of your 'boys' told you about that earring." Blake prompted with a wink.

"One of my boys found this and believes it belongs to Ms. Tate, who visited us a couple weeks ago with Mr. Wayne."

"Really? Good thing the kid turned it in then. If it's hers it's probably really expensive. Have you called her about it yet?"

"As a matter of fact I haven't."

"Well in that case I've got the rest of the day off, working nights at the moment. Why don't you give it to me and I'll look up her place, drop it off to her so that she doesn't have to come here or risk losing it in the mail. Least I can do given all the money she donated."

Reilly waited until Blake had stashed the envelope back in his coat before he raised an eyebrow that made it clear an explanation was required now.

"If Miss. Tate calls here to check my story you can tell her in all honesty that one of your boys found an earring and gave it to you. You gave it to me when I happened to drop in and mention the visit in passing." Blake's gaze softened as he reached out to give the older man's shoulder a squeeze. "I know how you feel about lying, and you suck at stretching the truth anyway. This way you aren't. I need an excuse to visit her place, this will give me one."

"Will you tell me why when you can?"

Blake nodded and gave his word that he would.

Knowing what the man's word meant to him the priest forced his curiosity under control and asked instead if the man had time to grab a snack with him before he went to see Ms. Tate.

"Sounds good to me." They could hammer out the rest of the details over milk and cookies like old times.

)

He'd figured that curiosity, if nothing else, would get him a foot in the door, and he'd been right, Blake thought an hour and a half later as he stepped into the elevator, smirking over the fact that there was a bench for the patrons to sit on. Too weighed down with their jewels and accessories to stay on their feet while they rode the elevator apparently, he mused with a smirk. Rich people. You could never figure most of them, especially the ones who were living off their family money instead of actually having something resembling jobs. From what he'd gathered through public sources Ms. Tate had doubled her wealth all on her own, but he'd believe that when he got a better idea where she was making her money and how.

Stepping out when the elevator doors opened Blake smiled charmingly at the assistant who introduced herself and then told him to follow her into the penthouse.

Doing so Blake's eyes missed nothing as he evaluated the art on display, forcing back a whistle when he got a look at the main room the hallway opened up into, the space huge and suggesting that Ms. Tate might just own the whole floor as opposed to a section of it. Impressive as hell, just like her, Blake decided as she came over to greet him, dressed casually but with a style and class that said she could be wearing a paper bag and still look gorgeous.

"Detective Blake. I'm at a loss as to why one of Gotham's finest should be paying me a visit, but I hope you'll take a seat and get comfortable while you explain. The weather is just horrible today, isn't it?"

"That's a nice way of putting it." There were no words for how much he was dreading standing out in it later tonight. No words. Taking the seat she had motioned to, the better to prolong his visit, Blake kept up his easygoing, nice guy routine as he apologized for interrupting her afternoon.

Waving aside his apologies she took a seat across from him, crossing her impressive legs in front of her before asking him what had brought him by.

Pulling out the envelope he rose and walked the short distance to hand it to her as he explained his 'reason' for dropping by. "I looked it over and it's fancy, but jewelry isn't something I know anything about since I don't have girlfriends or a mother to buy it for." He flashed her the smile that had been inviting older women to coo over his dimples since he'd realized how he could use them. "Anyway, we figured if it is real it wasn't a good idea to have it lying around."

"I see. Well I don't recall that I lost one but I'll check just in case." Opening the envelope Miranda dumped the earring into her palm and then brought it up to study. "No, this isn't mine. The stone isn't real and…you could probably find this in a jewelry store patroned by teenagers."

Laughing good naturedly Blake rubbed the back of his neck. "Well that explains why the kid turned it in instead of trying to hawk it. Now I'm doubly sorry for interrupting you."

"On the contrary, you came to do a good deed and that's always commendable." A hint of interest came into her eyes. "You said you attended the boy's home Bruce and I visited. Have you and he met?"

"Mr. Wayne? Sure. He came in once when I was a kid, and we've both dropped in at the same time a time or two. He played hoops with me and the kids a bit once, though it's not his sport."

"Really? I'll have to remember to tease him about that."

Grinning, Blake asked her not to tell the older man that he'd been the one to say so, wanting to see if she would or not.

"No worries, Detective, I never reveal my sources."


	7. Call Me Maybe

Call Me Maybe

The chitchat that followed wasn't terribly revealing or long, both not quite sure what the other wanted from them but well aware of the undercurrents they were generating between them. Part of it was the fact that they didn't like each other, Blake feeling threatened on some primitive level while Miranda had hated just the idea of her Bane's whore, so meeting him only increased those feelings though both thought they hid their reactions well in terms of voice and face. It was their well honed instincts that alerted them otherwise.

And with that in mind Blake decided then and there to get the woman the hell out of Bruce's life, unaware that the other woman had already begun to look into how best to get the detective out of Bane's life without Bane being suspected. Or him suspected she'd gotten rid of his precious 'little bird'.

They were all polite and good manners when they felt they'd pretended enough and got up to leave, Miranda insisting on seeing Blake out personally. The two had almost reached the hallway leading out when a loud thunk registered in both their ears, Blake looking back the way they'd come while Miranda kept her eyes on him.

"What was that?"

"Snow, perhaps. Or a bird. The poor little things, flying so happily in the sky, completely unaware that they're about to end their lives by smashing into a wall they can't see. It breaks my heart when that happens." Miranda told him as the detective's eyes met hers. "They're such beautiful, fragile things, birds. Wouldn't you agree?"

"That would depend on the kind of bird."

"True. A bird of prey might break through most glass, though not mine." Miranda gave him a small smile that was both rueful and just a tad feral. "Nothing gets in here without my permission."

Voice coolly cordial Blake told her that he was sure she had the best security wise…but that as a cop he'd learned long ago that no defense was impenetrable. That thinking otherwise was a chink in the walls already.

"On that point I guess we will have to agree to disagree, Detective Blake."

"Seems so, Ms. Tate."

Motioning for him to continue to follow her towards the door Miranda opened it for himself and bid him goodbye, Blake doing the same before stepped out and heading for the elevator.

Though it wasn't until he was in his car that he whistled and shook his head, feeling like he'd just faced down a pumped up, violent druggie on meth.

Which begged the question of why the hell Bruce was so attracted to this woman, but then he'd imagine that Miranda Tate always had her best face on when she was with the millionaire. And hell, look who he was dating. A dangerous person could be damn attractive and sexy, depending on your tastes in that area.

He was curious why she didn't like cops though. It had to be that, because they'd never met before and what other reason could she have to dislike him so much in such a short period of time? And yet…and yet those bird comments. He hadn't given her his true full name, most people in his life now didn't know it and only Alfred actually called him Robin. Bruce teased him about it sometimes, and Bane called him little bird, but she hadn't had time to look into him and why would she? His connection to Bruce and Al were well hidden, the three having decided that was for the best. He occasionally went out with Al to the movies or a museum event, but most everyone just assumed he was Al's grandson.

Blake was still mulling over the possibilities a half an hour later as he finished loading his groceries in his trunk, pausing at the sound of his phone going off. Pulling it out the detective raised an eyebrow at the name across the screen before putting it to his ear. "Father Reilly?"

"Hello again." Came the old man's voice. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all. Actually, I was going to have to swing by to see you again to drop off the earring. It wasn't Ms. Tate's." He didn't know why, but instinct said to cover his tracks, just in case.

"That's actually why I'm calling. Ms. Tate called me ten minutes ago to tell me that she'd had a brainstorm after you left her place. She thinks the earring might belong to one of the reporters that was here for her and Mr. Wayne's visit. I've sent quick emails to the two women that were there, hopefully one of them will respond."

"All right. I'll hold onto it for now and when you hear back I can drop it off for you."

For form they chatted for a few minutes before and then said their good byes, Blake putting the phone back in his pocket automatically as his mind mulled over the fact that the woman had decided to call the boy's home to confirm his story.

Which was interesting. Very interesting.

)

In Bane's eyes Talia was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her every movement was poetry, her smiles a gift he could never be deserving of. That she was as lethal as she was stunning was something he knew well, he had taught her what he could, but to him that only made her more perfect. His love was not sexual in any way, he would never dream of touching her that way, but it was a deep and true love that had devotion coming into his eyes as she walked over to him, the hug she gave him making his lips curve into a smile behind his mask.

"Hello, My friend. I hope I haven't interrupted something important?"

He and Barsad had been discussing what to do about the men who were standing dangerously idle at the moment, having been called in to lay waste to Gotham and who were not pleased by the delays. But he wouldn't annoy her with those details, instead assuring her that she was never an interruption. More important was the fact that she shouldn't have come in the first place, Bane thought as he watched her shrug off her expensive fur coat. His little bird had contacted him a few hours ago by text, informing him that the weather was so bad the stakeout had been canceled and therefore no protection or ride home would be needed. He'd been more than a little peeved that the detective had texted instead of phoned, but then he was just annoyed with the man period at the moment.

And hot for him. So fucking hot that he was damn thankful he'd had decades of practice controlling his needs and impulses so that he hadn't made his way to Blake's apartment despite the weather and made his need for his bird known. Multiple times, while hoping that they got snowed in so that they'd have nothing to do tomorrow but have more sex and time to get it through Blake's head that he wasn't going to fall for his traps.

Though wasn't he already, Bane mentally groaned, forcing the thought from his head as he made himself focus on the conversation as he gently scolded Talia for coming out this late with the weather being so bad. She should have called instead of risking the roads.

Pleased by his concern Miranda lifted a hand to stroke fingers over Bane's cheek, her pleasure growing when she noted that there no claiming marks on Bane's skin this time. "You worry too much." She paused for effect, and then deliberately made her voice light and teasing. "I met your little bird today."

"Oh?" His voice was neutral, but muscles coiled automatically at the thought of the two being alone together, his hunger turning to stomach rolling dread.

"Mhmmm. He was running an errand for the man who runs the boys home he grew up in. Or so he said. Something in the priest's voice sounded just a little off…and I assume someone with the rank of detective has better things to do than play errand boy. Which got me to thinking, Bane, that maybe he was just looking for an excuse to meet me. Have you perhaps mentioned me in passing?"

"Of course not."

Which meant, everyone in the room thought but didn't say, that the only logical reason why Blake might want to meet her, aside from being on a true errand because the detective really was that big of a Goody-Two Shoes, was that the police had somehow heard or come across some scrap of information about her and had sent Blake to investigate. It was unlikely they could know enough to incriminate her, they would have been alerted to that kind of investigation, but even just being considered a person of interest could be very bad for her. For them.

"He won't suspect you." Miranda said softly, after a very long, thoughtful silence. "Call him, ask what he was up to today. We need to know." And you belong to me, not him, she silently added to herself. So prove it to me.

There was never any question that he would obey her order. Not her. Bane didn't hesitate to nod and agree to the plan, though it made the ache in his stomach that much worse. If there was a possibility that Blake had been asked to look into Talia…but Blake was involved with the Grey matter right now and he believed, had to believe, that they'd covered Talia's tracks so well that no one serving under Commissioner Gordon would ever suspect, much less be able to find a shred of proof against her. So this really was just an odd coincidence and the sooner he called his little bird the sooner he could prove that to Talia and protect him from her wrath, Bane told himself.

Bane would never disobey her, Miranda thought to herself with almost childlike glee as they discussed what Bane should say. And the man who'd dared to think he could have a piece of her Bane, well he wouldn't be a problem much longer, now would he? Regardless of why he'd come to see her…actually meeting him had sealed his fate in her mind. She was determined to get rid of him now.

At her insistence Bane set his phone to speaker, thus allowing the other two to hear the conversation as well. Normally that wouldn't be possible, but Barsad and Talia were very good at becoming soundless shadows and would do nothing to give their presence away.

The pain in his gut getting worse by the millisecond as he listened to the dial tone, Bane was nonetheless surprised to hear his lover sounding very sleepy when he answered the phone. "I would have thought the last two nights would have assured you were awake." It was only a little after eleven.

A large yawn was Blake's response. "Not when you spend nearly three friggin hours training." Bitterness was plain in his voice, so out of it he was talking as much to himself as he was Bane. "Got mad at me, worked me like a dog. Told him if his ass had seen the action mine had yesterday he wouldn't be at his best either but oh no…the bastard. Gonna make him pay next time…but tired now. Two soaks in the tub and big dinner." Another yawn. "Checking to make sure I wasn't lying about being at home?"

"I'm calling to ask what you were up to today."

"Errands, sorta failed good deed, and the workout from hell. Why?" Confusion was laced with fatigue.

"What good deed?"

"Earring delivery. Father Reilly. Would have rather dealt with Grey than that bitch."

None of the three reacted to the last statement, but the words were bouncing around their heads like the Energizer Bunny on steroids.

"You had to deal with someone unpleasant?"

The fact that Bane never called him without a reason, or perhaps the curiosity of Bane asking about his day in any detail, had Blake sounding slightly more awake when he answered. "No, just a seriously bad vibe off her. And why are you calling? The only reason you call is to schedule sex or yell at me, and if this is your idea of phone sex than you need more help than Barsad and I can give you. You need Oprah, Dr. Phil, and that other guy, the other Oprah guy…whose name has something to do with the Wizard of-Oz! That's it, Dr. Oz."

Since he needed an excuse, and didn't want to talk about phone sex with Talia in the room, Bane admitted that he was merely checking to make sure Blake hadn't been lying about staying in.

A thoughtful pause and then Blake, who was sounding more awake by the second, pointed out that he could be outside and Bane wouldn't know it, and he had a hard time believing that Bane and Barsad had taken his word about the stakeout being canceled without first checking their- "Crap, another call coming in. Hold on a sec-Ah, its Will. A man who is very good when it comes to phone sex but is likely calling because his brother's in trouble again. Gonna have to take it, call you tomorrow."

Click

"Well I think it's safe to say he really was just delivering an earring for the priest. He was too out of it to lie." Barsad stated, hoping that he wasn't wrong. He didn't think he was per say, but he also knew that it was quite possible Talia had given herself away somehow, her moods recently erratic and very childish in some way.

"Looks like you have some competition for the young detective's affection." Miranda added, though that wouldn't change her plans regarding Blake in the slightest. He had to go. But she was satisfied for the moment. She'd known there was no way her cover had been blown, especially by someone as useless and stupid as Bane's detective.

Putting his phone away Bane didn't acknowledge her words, instead asking her if she agreed with Barsad about the detective's reason for visiting her. When she said that she was satisfied some of the churning pain in his stomach abated, though Bane let none of his relief show in her presence. Instead he asked if everything was in place for the meeting they had lined up with one of the top crime bosses still working in Gotham. They hadn't asked for the meeting, they didn't need the man or his organization to put their plans into action, but the crime lord was interested in them and they were humoring him with a meeting to keep him out of their hair.

Distracted by the reminder of the man who dared to think he could summon them to a meeting, Miranda's eyes went as cold and icy as the weather outside as the discussion turned to just what would and wouldn't be made clear very soon to Gotham's underworld.

)

A little less than an hour later, Talia having left soon after the call since the weather was only getting worse, Bane was in his gym and had just finished destroying a punching bag when his phone rang. The ringtone signaled that Blake had apparently decided to stay awake after he'd talked with his friend Will, who apparently was a lot more fun to talk to on the phone than he was. And while it was tempting not to answer-no, there wasn't any question that he'd answer, Bane thought as he pulled the cellphone from his pocket and accepting the call put it to his ear. "Still awake I see."

"It…uh…occurred to me once my brain was actually working that I shouldn't have ended the call that way. Things have been over between Will and I for like seven months but you…wouldn't have known that."

"Was his brother indeed in trouble?"

"Yeah, which is typical of Bryon. He's the type that thinks the world owes him, and he doesn't care who he hurts to get what he wants."

"Yet you would help him?"

Blake's snort was audible through the phone. "Hell no. Will's mom had him call me because she likes me better than Chihuahua. Matchmaking to take her mind off the fact that her youngest son doesn't care that he constantly shatters her heart into a million pieces with the crap he pulls on a regular basis. They know me too well to think I'd help get him out of trouble. Bryon needs to be in jail, period."

Confused, Bane asked if his bird's ex was dating a dog.

Laughter greeted the question. "That's what I call Will's lover. Apparently he's a nice guy around most people, but around me he turns into this annoying, high pitched and high strung pipsqueak. We hate each other."

"Why?"

"Well I hate him because he's annoying, Will deserves better, and I was pissed to be dumped for the moron. He hates me because Will dated me for a little over two months when the two temporarily broke up and because Will got seriously drunk three months ago and let it slip that I'm better when it comes to blowjobs."

Having been on the receiving end Bane could attest to the man's skill in that area. But he didn't like the idea of this Will person having firsthand knowledge of that fact. He didn't like the idea of Blake with anyone but him, period. Especially when he'd give quite a bit to have his bird on his knees before him now, taking such carnal pleasure in pleasuring him that way.

"So, to get back to what's important…what's the real reason you called earlier? I'd believe you wanted to hear my voice to get off before I'll believe you just wanted to talk about my day."

Remembering what he did want to talk to the man about Bane informed Blake that trying to distract, control, or trap him using sex would not end well for him.

When Blake answered it was in the voice that always sent the blood in Bane's head rushing south at lightning speed. "Why would I want to control you? You've had me under you enough times to know that I much prefer when you control me sexually. Haven't I screamed and begged you for more enough times? Or do you need me to remind you?"

"You aren't here."

Sexy chuckle. "I could introduce you to phone sex…but that wouldn't be enough to satisfy either of us. So come see me tomorrow when I'm awake and feeling more…flexible."

He knew he was being manipulated…but they both knew he'd be paying his little bird a visit as soon as possible too.

Dammit.


	8. Stripped Bare

Stripped Bare

It had been five days since Blake had allowed him back into his bed, and not once had the man touched him with his mouth, teeth or tongue. And as he stared at his bird, who was still lying under the covers while he got dressed, Bane had to fight the urge to demand the other man get up and see him off properly with a sucking kiss against the skin of his neck, or even a brief brush of lips over his masked cheek. Anything was better than nothing at this point, though he didn't say so. Couldn't say so because he knew his man would refuse to give in and he wouldn't know what to do in that situation. He knew what he'd do to anyone else, but not to his little bird. And if he showed how much it bothered him Blake would exploit the admission, no question.

Well aware of the eyes on him Blake deliberately sat up so that the covers pooled around him, making a show of stretching his arms above his head to display his body more prominently. "You can tell Barsad he's off guard duty again tonight. And I don't need to be picked up either."

"Why?" He'd already told the detective he was busy, but this was the first he'd heard that the man had plans too.

"I've got the night off and I promised to be the chaperon at a bachelor party." And boy did it say something about how much he hated pretending to be a hooker, Blake silently thought, that he was actually looking forward to being stuck looking after a bunch of drunk, heterosexual cops for the night. He didn't even like half of them, but he'd given his word and he wouldn't let Tim or Emma down.

He knew what a bachelor party was in theory, but didn't see why it would appeal to the other man. "You don't drink."

"Which is one of the reasons I got roped into this. Designated driver." Pointing at himself Blake did grin this time. "I also won't be tempted by the strippers, should there be any, which is why Emma insisted Tim had to invite me. She knows nothing will happen to him with me around as babysitter."

"She would marry a man she cannot trust?"

"It's not being faithful she's worried about, it's the fact that he tends to be too nice for his own good. Too much of a people pleaser, and his new partner is the sort who finds trouble when he's sober, much less drunk. Emma and I went to high school together, so she knows I can handle myself and the ass's bullying tactics."

Interested, as the detective wasn't big about talking about his past, Bane walked over and took a seat on the side of the bed facing Blake. "You were bullied in school?"

A snort was Blake's response. "I was a foster kid, gay, and mouthy. Yeah, lockers and I were real friendly for a large portion of my high school education."

Bane's eyes narrowed, wishing that he'd been around then to deal with these unknown bullies.

"I should be back here before two at the latest. I'd hate for you to leave without a proper good bye." The question /invitation was clear in Blake's voice, the detective biting back the confession that he'd miss the other man like hell shortly since this time tomorrow Bane would be out of the city for nearly a week on 'business'.

"I don't know how long I'll be. I'll let Barsad know about tonight, and text you when I'm done." After he made sure that Blake was telling the truth, and that this wasn't an attempt to get rid of the shadow that was apparently aggravating the federal agents quite a bit, Bane silently added. And he would definitely see Blake before he left the city, there was no question about that.

"Sounds good."

)

That Night

They hadn't known quite what to make about the crime lord's choice in location, having expected the man to want his own turf but not anticipating that they'd be visiting a strip joint. Bane, Barsad and Talia had all agreed that the man had to be up to something with his choice in venue, but damn if they could figure out what the man was up to. They'd hacked into the man's cameras and knew Tanzello didn't have men in place to ambush them or make trouble. No more bodyguards than expected and they would be easily dealt with. So on the surface everything suggested this was just a harmless meet, but they were suspicious regardless.

Talia was in disguise of course, playing at being the underling in this case and letting Bane do all the talking. No one outside the League knew who was really in charge and that was how it would stay until it was too late for the people of Gotham.

Tanzello offered them refreshment and appeared content to talk only of what Bane thought of the city and its people until Bane asked him to get to the point about why this meet was necessary.

"Straight to business, I appreciate that. But first, I must ask, do you know where your detective is this evening?"

Bane's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, the only signal that he would snap the man's neck then and there if that had been a threat to his lover's wellbeing.

Not having gotten to where he was by being an idiot Tanzello remained cool and collected as he explained that that hadn't been a threat or idle question, he had simply wanted to know if Bane had sent his detective here to get the lay of the land so to speak since the detective was currently with other cops in the club area beneath them.

His little bird was here? Seriously? He didn't believe in coincidences…but he'd just assumed that a group of cops would have the sense not to frequent a club run by and full of criminals.

"You question my honesty? I will show you." Pulling his laptop over to him the man started typing while he explained that he had all the tables in his establishment wired, the contents of the recorded conversations reviewed in case any piece of information could be used to his advantage.

The three League members silently agreed that that was a good way to gather information, though their attention quickly shifted to the voices coming out of the laptop now as Blake's voice was one of the mix as he asked someone named Ryder to keep an eye on someone named Tim while he took care of some assehole who apparently didn't know how to take no for an answer.

"Would you like a visual as well?" The man behind the laptop asked, having already programed the cameras in the club to recognize Bane's lover and follow him wherever he went.

And not waiting for Bane's answer Tanzello handed the laptop over, wanting to see just what sort of reactions the man would have to what was in store.

)

Blake ignored the pounding music, wolf whistles, catcalls and other noises as he interrogated the young officer in front of him as to just how Tim had come to be onstage with a bunch of strippers when he'd expressly told the kid to keep Tim with him so that he could deal with an assehole who'd been harassing the poor woman stuck waitressing his table. And while he knew Ryder was usually a good officer and guy, apparently he'd been grabbed by some of the others while Stoker had gotten the groom-to-be on the stage and paid the strippers well to keep him there.

"Fuck."

Evaluating the situation and the best way to extract the man from the stage, which wouldn't be easy since the target was at the top of the T shaped platform dead center, with the whole thing surrounded by throngs of horny men who were not going to move from their prime locations willingly. The whole place was so packed, in fact, that it would be easier, and no doubt quicker, to go by way of the stage. Unfortunately.

He'd known enough strippers to know they didn't like people getting in their way without their permission, and he knew the true owner of the place, who was one of the biggest crime lords left in Gotham. Fucking with the night's entertainment wouldn't go over well with them, much less the patrons who would no doubt turn into a very dangerous mob at the slightest provocation.

So yeah, there was only one way to go about getting Tim back ASAP.

"Shit, first hooker, now stripper. What's next, Bane's slave boy?"

"Uhm…Sir?" Obviously confused by what Blake had just said Ryder's eyes went huge as he watched the higher ranking officer take his shirt off, taking the article of clothing automatically when Blake handed it to him. And the man's wallet, watch and cell phone.

"Hold onto those."

Muttering under his breath Blake pushed the mostly drunk cops away from the stage and ignoring their exclamations of shocked surprise Blake hauled himself up and onto the platform, knowing he was going to regret this.

As expected the two strippers nearest him were immediately all over him, rubbing up against him like cats sniffing catnip while making it clear that it was going to cost him quite a bit financially if he wanted to play with them onstage.

Allowing them to maul him, it would make things go faster, he explained in a low voice that he was simply interested in retrieving the man they'd grabbed earlier and that he would get off the stage as soon as he managed that.

Both wished him luck and returned to their poles, leaving the walkway free for the moment.

Doing his best to move to the music, it was the sort of pounding beat that made a body want to move, Blake had only made it four feet towards his destination when two women dressed in dominatrix outfits, complete with whips, appeared onstage as well, making a beeline for him like heat seeking missiles. Security strippers were not to be messed with.

They met halfway up the T, their whips out and more than ready to be used as the two were quick to prove by snapping them in his direction like he was a lion in need of being trained.

Stubbornness kept him from backing off , his training with Bruce paying off as he nimbly moved his body this way and that to avoid getting slashed or captured by them as they came at him. It was like dancing really, and the audience seemed to love it as they hooted and hollered so that he could hardly think, much less be heard of them as he tried to communicate through words and gestures why he'd gotten on the stage in the first place.

"You got moves, Little Boy." The blonde purred in his direction. "I could make you dance all night."

He didn't have all night and if he didn't get back soon the other idiots would probably find some way to force poor Ryder onto the stage too and then he'd have two officers to rescue. "How bout I show you one of my best moves?" He called out, hoping she'd take the bait.

"We don't like it, we're taking it out of your hide." The redhead warned.

"Just clear a path to the front and if you're not satisfied you can punish me." He assured them, praying that wouldn't happen. He didn't even want to think about what Bane's reaction would be if he ended up with lashes on his back. The man would seriously freak, especially since he already had his lover on the edge as it was.

The two women looked at each other in silent communication and then moved out of the way to clear a path for him.

Praying the sweat and other crap on the stage wouldn't cause too much problem Blake waited a moment for the beat and then turning around tensed his muscled and then began his back flips, one after another until he was within reach of the center pole. Grabbing it with his hands and using the momentum to swing his body around the pole, Blake ignored the hands reaching for him and kept going until he was facing the two women again, hanging from the pole by the strength of his arms alone. Then he lowered his body up and down the pole a few times while doing a side split, figuring that he better throw something at least a little sexy into the whole routine if it was to past their muster. Plus maybe grinding his ass against the pole in a penetrating motion would clue then into the fact that he was gay and therefore hadn't come onstage to harass the girls.

Or maybe not, he amended, taking in the way one was eye fucking him, but the other nodded in acceptance of his 'toll', and not wanting to give her time to change her mind Blake quickly straightened up and headed in the direction of Tim, who'd been pulled off to the side when he'd come flipping their way.

Having been turned loose the young, very drunk officer stumbled over to congratulate him on his awesome routine, Blake just smiling and then bowing down at the waist to neatly scoop the shocked man up and over his shoulder in a fireman's hold. And since he didn't want to risk their wrath again Blake opted to leave the stage to the professionals and so headed over to the edge, grateful when the men there were willing to move aside so that he could get off.

Needless to say it took him a while to get back to the others, and in that time he was cheered, snarked at, groped, and had things shoved into his pant pockets that he hoped weren't illegal in nature.

Arriving at his destination he put Tim back on his feet, the man weaving in place but not at all upset about being carried. He'd thought it was fun.

Putting his shirt back on Blake smiled at the man and then searched his pockets, amused that he'd been slipped a couple business cards and some money. Serious money, he realized moments later when he recovered what turned out to be five one hundred dollar bills wrapped around a business card from his back pocket.

And then he saw the name on the card and it was all worthwhile, the detective laughing hysterically as he imagined what Bruce would say when he heard that a member of his board had tried to buy his ass. He'd either bust a gut laughing too, or keel over from the shock.

Either reaction would be good.

"All right, Drunk Cops." He announced when he had himself under control again. "We're leaving NOW."

"I ain't going anywhere. This is a bachelor party, you damn queer. You don't like the show, leave. Nobody will miss you."

"Tim is the only one I promised to get home." Blake pointed out coldly, having no problem with the idea of leaving the man behind. Stoker was just a little too well known by the people here for his tastes, the strippers and staff having given the jackass looks that said they knew him and were no more pleased to see him than Blake would be in their place. And if Stoker hung out here…well it was hard to imagine Tanzello hadn't taken notice…and figured out a way to use the man to his advantage.

Yeah, he'd be looking into the man. Later. After he delivered his charges home and took the shower he desperately, desperately wanted.

Thinking about it just made him want it more and so he enlisted Ryder's help in rounding up all the other cops and together got the hell out of there before anything else could go wrong.

)

Having taken the laptop back from Bane, and who would have suspected the detective would have ended up putting on such a show for them, Tanzello closed the laptop lid, not surprised when the very dangerous man sitting across from him advised him to forget any interest he might have in Blake.

"Ah, but I know your boy so I'm afraid that's impossible. His father, he worked for me once upon a time."

Mind still occupied by the images of his bird currently consuming his every thought, Bane was caught off guard enough by the comment to forget the image he was supposed to be presenting. "He did?"

"Mhmmm. Robin Blake Senior, hell of a good bouncer. Kid takes after his mom in looks, his old man was built like a tank. Anyway, he'd bring the kid to work with him, and the kid used to play on the stripper poles like they were a jungle gym. And if there was a way to make money while he was there he found it, fetching drinks or cleaning up. It was a real shame Rob got dead, especially since it was in front of the boy and all. I liked them both. Don't know what his dad would think about you though."

"Blake's his own man."

Tanzello's lips curved in the slightest of smile. "Yeah, I remember him as a stubborn little bugger. And I hear he's not in your pocket, which fits with what else I remember."

Silence greeted that observation.

"But that's not why I asked to speak with you." Well it was, but that was only a part of it, the old crime lord thought before meeting Bane's gaze squarely, not an easy thing at all to do. "They say that you've come to take Gotham maybe, to rule over it as Falcone and many others have tried to do in the past. I want you to know that if that's your aim, I won't be getting in your way. I don't care who rules this city so long as I can run my businesses in peace."

He paused thoughtfully for a moment and then continued. "And you should know that though this city has turned its back on The Batman…you should not assume HE has turned his back on it."


	9. Claim Made

Claim Made

As previously planned Bane had the vehicle they'd arrived at the club in drop Talia off at a parking garage after the meeting with Tanzello so that she could go back to her residence to rest and finish preparing for their departure. Once she was in her car and driving off Bane informed the driver that he was to be dropped off at Blake's place, pulling out his phone to send a quick text message to the man in question to inform him that he would be there in the next fifteen minutes or so depending on traffic.

"Tanzello still fears the Batman even though he hasn't shown himself in years." Barsad commented after Bane put his phone away, thinking to at least try to distract the man from plotting. Personally he hadn't disagreed with what the old man had had to say there, but Barsad was pretty sure that at the moment Blake had a lot more to worry about then Bane did even if the cop didn't know it. Yet.

"The Bat doesn't worry me."

Thinking about the vigilante made Bane think of his bird, who blindly idolized the Batman and made no secret of it. If Blake knew who was actually behind the mask it would be another story, he told himself, but that was not his secret to reveal. At least not yet. But no, Blake knew Wayne because of the money the millionaire donated to his bird's boy's home, and probably would still stand in awe of him even if he did know the truth, unfortunately.

And from there his mind naturally went back to the images that had been etched into his brain like acid, the memory of his lover's performance on the club stage both arousing and infuriating him. Because even though he knew, rationally, why Blake had done the things he'd done, he still wanting to turn the man over his knee and turn the detective's ass black and blue. After he'd beaten the hell out of every man in that club who'd been turned on by his bird's performance, Bane silently added, and killed those who'd dared to touch him on his way back to his companions.

Imagining what he'd like to do to everyone who'd been in that strip club kept Bane occupied all the way to Blake's place, the mercenary surprised when the vehicle came to a stop.

"Just remember that you'll be gone for a while…so don't leave on a bad note."

Stopping in the act of opening the door, Bane turned his head and gave the other mercenary a questioning look.

"If you piss him off he'll have plenty of time to get mad enough to call it quits for good before you get back and try to change his mind. Just saying."

Logically he knew his second in command was right, but at the moment he was too far gone with a mix of lust, jealousy, and possessive need to truly take the man's words to heart and understand that Barsad knew far more about these things than he. No, at this point he'd pretty much come to the conclusion that he needed to drill it into his lover's head just who he belonged to and what happened when the man forgot that and dared reveal his sexuality to anyone but him.

Watching the man go Barsad groaned and dropped his head in his hands. Not good. Definitely not good.

)

Blake figured he'd timed it pretty perfectly when the knock at the door came. He'd known from the other man's text when he'd be coming by and had deliberately taken a long shower once he'd gotten home from delivering his drunken cargo. He'd just gotten out a couple minutes ago and was only wearing a robe, his hair still wet to give credence to the idea that he'd just gotten out. He smelled amazing if he did say so himself, and the wet hair would provide droplets on his skin that Bane would want to lick off but couldn't because of the mask. Yup, the detective thought as he unlocked his front door, he was more than ready to greet his man properly.

Opening the door he stood to the side, smelling the night air on the other man when he came in. Blake had to force himself not to purr as he trailed fingers down Bane's coat covered arm. "Hey."

"Good evening."

Something instinctual had a warning going off in Blake's mind, though the two words were nothing but pleasant. "Something wrong?"

"We'll get to that momentarily." Shifting so that the bulk of his body and the smallness of the hallway allowed him to press Blake against the wall, Bane slipped one hand under the robe to cup one of the other man's ass cheeks and give it a possessive squeeze. "Bed. Now."

Sliding his hands up Bane's chest Blake made a sound of agreement, grinning when the other man picked him up and started carrying him towards the bedroom with one arm around his waist and the other under the ass he was so fond of. Leaning in Blake nuzzled his cheek against the side of Bane's head, trusting the other man to get them where they were going without any help from him.

When he was deposited on the bed and told to remove the robe Blake did so, watching Bane since the other man was opening his closet and he couldn't imagine what Bane would want that was in there. He didn't keep his handcuffs with his suits and ties, and he wouldn't have worn them to bed anyway. He was not going into work with handcuff marks on his wrists, especially after the night he'd had. It just wasn't happening.

But no, when his lover turned to face him he had a tie in hanging out of one fisted hand. Probably for the same use as the cuffs too, Blake realized, the idea of being tied to his bed making him squirm with anticipation. It had been his second thought when they'd delivered the bed Bane had picked out for him weeks before. The first had been how fucking big it was naturally, but the spindled headboard and how that could be used had occurred to him once he'd got done being surprised that the bed had fit in the first place.

Deciding that he could wear a bracelet of some sort over the wrist not covered by his watch Blake deliberately retrieved a couple condoms and lube from his bedside table, setting them beside him before very accommodatingly settling back and lifting his arms above his head to rest his wrists against the headboard, inviting the man to use the tie.

Confusion replaced Blake's knowing gaze moments later though when Bane set the tie on the bed and instead removed the scarf still loosely wrapped around his shoulders. Now that he thought about it the scarf would be the better choice and…and Bane was up to something though he had no idea what that something was. Going on instinct he remained as he was, Bane indeed using the more practical scarf to bind his arms to the headboard. And once that was done and Bane was just watching him Blake couldn't help but glance at the discarded accessory and back again, knowing Bane wouldn't have grabbed it without a reason.

And then Bane was placing the tie over his eyes and Blake understood that it was to be his blindfold, chosen because it was the widest of his collection.

The light from the lamp on his bedside table remained on, and the material was thin enough that he wasn't in total darkness which he appreciated. He couldn't make anything out though, and said so in case Bane wanted to know.

"Did you have a good evening?"

Surprised by the question, especially given their present circumstances, Blake shrugged his shoulders a little. "It could have been worse." He'd gotten paid anyway, which had been an unexpected bonus. Rent in Gotham wasn't cheap after all, and he was going to need to replace his living room couch soon.

A hand, Bane's hand, slid possessively up his bare chest. "You enjoy putting yourself on display for the pleasure of drunk men?"

It took a moment. "Wait-you-God dammit, did you seriously have Barsad follow me to that fucking strip club? Seriously? And he what, took a video?" He thought he knew Bane's right hand man well enough by now to know that the ass wouldn't have been able to resist doing exactly that for his own entertainment. Barsad got a sick pleasure out of tattling on him.

"You took off your shirt, allowed yourself to be touched."

Shuddering instinctively at the low growl of Bane's voice, Blake wasn't sure whether he was incredibly turned on or worried given that he was a little tied up at the moment and at the other man's mercy. "I had to take as much off as I could. Gotham strippers will strip everything they can off you if you get onstage with them. And I couldn't exactly fight them off if I wanted to get Tim, or the men that coped feels when I was carrying the drunk idiot back to the others. My hands were too full to throw punches."

"You are mine and you allowed others to touch you. To see what is mine."

Blake huffed his annoyance. "Are we really going to have THAT argument again?"

"You still think you are not mine to claim…so I will make sure that in my absence no one who sees you will doubt what you refuse to admit."

How Bane intended to do that had Blake holding his breath, the silence of the room interrupted by sounds he couldn't recognize. Something was being set on his bedside table? What was it? Why?

And then Bane's teeth were sinking into the detective's shoulder, giving the man his answer.

Bane had taken off his mask.

It also became apparent very quickly that Bane wasn't going to be satisfied with just the one mark, Blake cursing as he realized the true purpose of the blindfold. He was to be denied the sight of the man without his mask, given instead multiple bites and future bruises as his lover moved down his chest with a deliberate patience and execution that suggested that the man was going to be at this for a while.

Every erogenous or sexualized spot was tasted and marked by Bane's mouth, his neck, nipples, and stomach getting the worst of it so that Blake figured he was going to look like a leopard come morning. Not that Bane cared, he thought, thoroughly miffed when he wasn't enjoying or gasping over the quick flashes of pain that came with the latest bite of Bane's teeth.

"I am so going to pay you back for this." Blake managed to snarl out, trying not to think about how close Bane's mouth had to be getting to very sensitive areas of his body.

"You may return the favor if you like." Or try, Bane silently added, since there was no way he could actually risk letting his bird mark him this way. He would not risk Talia seeing or hearing of it.

"Hah, like I could mark your skin up this way, you bastard! But you're going to wish you hadn't gone all caveman on-."

Gasping when Bane jacked up his legs to place them over his broad shoulders, Blake forgot all about making his threats and instead made his pleasure known as the other man's teeth and lips marked the sensitive skin of his inner thighs. And given where his lover's mouth was situated at the moment- "Suck me. Please, fucking please. I'll return the favor." He promised as he tried to situate his erection closer to Bane's mouth by shifting his hips. "God you don't know how much I want it, Bane. Please."

Turning his head slightly Bane gave the detective's erection a testing lick, rewarded immediately with more husky, needy encouragement from Blake. But he was being punished, Bane reminded his little bird in a voice that was so different from his usual one, so no, he would not give the man what he was asking for.

And to make sure of it Bane removed Blake's legs from his shoulders and spun the man around so that he was laying on his stomach now, the detective's hands forced into an X above his head.

So once again his ass was being decorated, Blake fumed, hot and pissed as he deliberately tried to move his ass around to make it clear he did not appreciate the fact that his front had not gotten the tongue and mouth action he'd been hoping for.

Smack

Yelping in shock Blake lifted his head from his pillow, the expression he wore completely dumbstruck.

"You…you slapped my ass!"

"Stay still."

He did, but that had more to do with the fact that he didn't know how to react than actually wanting to obey Bane as the other man went back to marking 'his' territory. He had never, ever, been spanked before. That kind of punishment hadn't been allowed in the foster or boys home, and his father had never raised a hand to him beyond the occasional whack upside the head for his smart mouth. He'd had his ass patted before, but that had been a slap, not a pat. It hadn't really hurt, and it could have, so if he was going to take offense it would be over the-oh yeah.

Arching to display his ass more prominently, Blake didn't at all mind the attention his rear was getting now, Bane's hands spreading his ass cheeks apart so that he could apply his mark there as well. And then when he was done marking his territory there the other man retrieved the lube and started preparing him for a far more powerful claiming which was definitely okay with him.

And when Bane took him, oh God but Blake knew that the bruises were not going to be his major problem in the morning. Sitting down and walking a straight line were, Blake thought desperately as he whimpered and tried to make his treacherous body realize that it shouldn't be encouraging Bane to pound into him like a long term prisoner who'd just gotten out on parole. But it felt so good and knowing that he'd driven the man so wild that his control had frayed to this point….because there was nothing controlled about this mating, claiming. He was pretty sure the man had only one thought in his brilliant brain at the moment and that was to make absolutely sure he felt claimed and uninterested in paying attention to any other man while Bane was gone.

And though Bane wasn't speaking, just hearing the man's voice unfiltered, every groan and growl Bane's true sounds...fuck that alone was doing him in, making him want to drag things out so he could hear more.

Bane ignored his little bird's pleas and shouts to take it slower, every thrust punishingly powerful and designed to make Blake feel him in every fiber of his being. He was beyond reason or logic, unable to think beyond the animal instincts that pushed him and pushed him even after Blake cried out his release when the other man's orgasm hit, the sound and feel of his bird's climax milking him sending him over the edge as well with a predator's roar of triumph.

)

Lying under Bane in a nearly boneless mess Blake struggled to get more air into his lungs, which was not an easy thing to do when they'd had all the air in them fucked out so enthusiastically by the man currently making it even harder to breathe than normal. Generally Bane was a lot more careful about making sure he wasn't squished, so Blake decided that between claiming his 'territory' and not wearing the mask for an extended period of time Bane was a lot more worn out than usual. So while he didn't mind the weight at the moment, even with the arm cramping, it would probably be a good idea to get the other man off him before Bane went to sleep on him.

At first Blake wasn't sure Bane had heard him, but then slowly the weight lifted off him and he could make out the man's jagged, very human breathing before the mask was once again put in place, turning the ragged sounds to something you'd expect to hear from a machine.

Moaning low in appreciation when Bane's fingers undid the scarf holding him captive next, Blake rubbed to get the blood flowing better through them while the blindfold was removed. Blinking at the sudden light it took him a few heartbeats to be able to focus and meet Bane's gaze squarely, the mercenary now sitting on the side of the bed and watching him without a betraying hint of expression.

Yup, the machine was back in place.

He considered a few reactions while they had their staring contest, a number of them violent and sure to send Bane off with the thought that maybe he should stay where the hell he was going instead of coming back and facing his wrath. But under all his anger and annoyance was understanding of why, in his childish, fumbling way, Bane had done what he'd done, and that leashed the more violent intentions.

Sighing in accepting defeat the detective shook his head and then leaning over turned off the lamp so that they were in darkness once more.

Minutes passed without Bane moving from his spot until Blake's voice reached him in the dark.

"You coming to bed or not?"

Letting out the breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding, Bane rose to his feet and walked around the bed to slide in beside his little bird, settling in for the night with a softness in his eyes that Blake couldn't see.


	10. Shocking Behavior

Shocking Behavior

Wearing pajama bottoms and a light weight cotton shirt, Blake waited for Bane to finish up in the bathroom. He hadn't showered yet, thinking it best to wait until after Bane had left his apartment before he saw himself naked in the mirror while fully awake. Because while he knew logically that what Bane had done the night before was a step in the right direction, taking off the mask while he was actually conscious, he was still pretty damn pissed that he'd been hickied within an inch of his life in the process.

But he wasn't going to dwell on that, the detective reminded himself sternly. He was going to see Bane to the door, start dropping his hints about the surprise he had planned for the other man when he got back, and get a little payback in the process.

Oh was he going to get himself some payback before winter was over.

Turning his head when the bathroom door opened Blake watched Bane come back into the bedroom, well aware that his lover was just waiting for him to let him have it. Which was part of the reason he wasn't letting the man have it in the first place, Blake thought as he smiled in greeting. Couldn't become too predictable, now could he?

"I thought I'd walk you out."

Wary, especially since he remembered well the man's last reaction to having just his pretty ass marked, Bane nodded and told Blake to lead the way, not about to give the detective his back until he had to. It would be safer that way.

"I will call you at nine tomorrow night. After that I won't be able to reach you for a few days." There would be no reception high in the mountains that hid the League of Shadows from the outside world, and even if there had been he would not draw attention to his relationship with Blake to that degree. And yet he couldn't shake the knowledge that his bird too often found trouble without looking for it, and Blake was looking for it in his quest to apprehend the serial killer he sought to entrap every night. What if something were to happen to his lover while he was away? He wouldn't know, not even Barsad would be able to reach them after a certain point.

"I'll be anxiously awaiting your call." Sarcasm dripped off every syllable, the words interrupting Bane's thoughts.

Oddly reassured by the smartass reply, it was annoying waiting for Blake to blow up at him, Bane allowed his gaze to lower enough to appreciate the way the detective's anger made his ass move.

Aware of where the man's eyes were Blake glanced over his shoulders. "Look your fill since you won't be seeing it for a while."

"Do you think to refuse me when I come back?" Now that he was thinking more clearly Bane was willing to admit that Barsad had given him good advice the night before and he had most likely been…unwise not to heed it.

Knowing an opening when he saw it Blake turned around and moved in to fiddle with the scarf that was once again draped around Bane's neck instead of being used to tie him to his own bed. Looking directly into the man's eyes, and very pleased to see the wariness in them, Blake gave him a little, knowing smile. "Oh no, I don't intend to refuse you at all. In fact, I have quite the homecoming planned for you, Mr. Bane."

"Oh?"

"Mhmmm. That is, if you're very good and bring me back a souvenir. No T-shirts, FYI."

"A souvenir." Bane repeated, drawing a complete and utter blank as to what he could possible bring his bird back. It wasn't like the areas they'd be going to were tourist attractions. Hell, they wouldn't even be in commercial airports.

Blake nodded. "Do that, and when you get back we're going to play a little game."

"I don't play games."

Leaning in Blake placed his lips so that every breath he took hit the sensitive nerves of Bane's ear as he told the man that he'd want to play this game.

Wrapping one arm around Blake waist to press the detective's body flush against his own, Bane lifted his other hand so that he could stroke the man's hair. "And why would I want to play this game, Parjarito?"

Pitching his voice low Blake smiled evilly since Bane couldn't see it as he answered. "Because if you win I'll use my mouth on you however you like for a whole week."

Body jerking at the seductive offer, his little bird had certainly not pulled his punch, Bane knew that it was no coincidence that he was being told this, offered it just as he was about to leave. There was no time to argue or throw Blake to the floor and teach him the price to be paid for taunting a predator so openly. And trying to trap one, since that was precisely what this was.

"And what would you get, if you won?"

"If I win?" Cuddling his body up against Bane's, which had gotten awfully tense all of a sudden, Blake nipped the man's ear before replying. "If I win then you have to take your mask off for a week when we're in bed together. Lights off, so I won't be able to see you, but I want your mouth, Bane."

"No."

This being the expected answer Blake simply shrugged. "Fine. I would have thought you'd ask what the game was first, but if you're so sure you'd lose…"

"No." He wasn't going to risk it. Refused to risk it.

Pulling back as much as he was able to Blake met Bane's gaze. "Then have a safe trip. I'll see you when you get back."

Turning Blake loose Bane watched him carefully all the way to the door, walking through it after the detective opened it for him. When he was through he spun around to face his lover, who was leaning against his door casually, nothing suggesting that the man was remotely displeased with him. "You will behave while I'm gone."

Blake just smirked in response, the gleam in his eyes making it clear he'd do as he liked.

"You will stay safe." Bane ordered, his tone suggesting he wasn't above locking Blake up somewhere to make sure of it if the detective didn't agree.

"I'll do my best."

Giving the man a very dark look for emphasis Bane finally turned to leave, suddenly feeling very awkward and…unnerved to be saying good bye to the man like this. He'd be back, but he…hated…literally hated the idea that shortly they would be out of contact. He didn't like it.

Blake moved fast, he knew he had to, but Bane didn't move in time to stop the detective from slapping him across his ass as hard as he could.

And darting back just as quickly, Blake winked and stuck out his tongue before closing the door promptly behind him, leaving Bane behind to stare at the door in stunned shock at Blake's idea of a 'goodbye'.

And he stayed that way for several moments before his lips curved behind his mask, and a sound very close to a chuckle bubbled up from his chest to be distorted by the mask.

He would think later that no one amused him quite like his precious little bird.

)

Finishing up his lunch Blake put his dish and glass in the sink, absently glancing out his kitchen window to the brink wall that faced it. He'd never seen the point in the window given the complete lack of view, but oh well, today he was in too good of a mood to care about that. He'd gotten Bane good the night before and he couldn't wait for the man to return and make him pay for it. Or try, anyway. He was far from out of ideas.

But last night…fuck he was getting aroused just thinking about it. It had gone exactly as he'd intended it to. He'd deliberately stroked himself to hardness before Bane's scheduled call, not telling the other man what his hand was up to while they chatted until his voice and the small sounds he'd pretended to try and hide registered over the crappy reception. As expected Bane had been less than pleased with him, but he'd managed to keep the man talking by listing the various ways he could get himself off instead of depending on Bane's voice to do the trick. Naturally Bane hadn't been familiar with some of the sex toys mentioned, so of course he'd had to explain their uses in great, lengthy detail while Bane's harsh, mechanized breathing gave his desire away even as the man had ordered him to bite his tongue. He'd decided moaning out his orgasm into the phone was a better idea, Blake thought wickedly to himself, sated at the time by his own touch, success, and the fact that he'd left his man hard and hanging as he'd agreed to end the conversation they were having and had said good bye and hung up before Bane could react to what he'd just done.

He squirmed at the thought of what Bane would say when he called again.

Though he should probably drop in at Wayne Manor later on, Blake decided, putting his hand into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. He wanted to be at his best physically when his man came back with no doubt very strenuous activities in mind.

Licking his lips Blake paused in the act of punching in Bruce's number, the sound of hard knocking at his front door signaling an unexpected guest. Shoving his phone back into his pocket the detective headed for the door, checking the eye hole first. It was the Collins boy, David, and he looked scared. Very, very scared.

Undoing his locks as quickly as he could Blake threw open the door and took a step forward as he began to ask what was wrong, instinct kicking in just seconds too late. He had only enough time to sense the unseen presence standing off to the side before he was hit by the bolt of electricity from the taser, losing control of his muscles immediately as he spasmed and hit the ground without being able to break his fall.

He was aware enough to see the same happen to David, the eight year old falling on top of him before being thrown further into the apartment, Blake soon dragged in after him. And then a face appeared so close to his own that their lips almost met, Blake now able to see the face of his attacker clearly as the man leaned down to inject a needle of some sort into his flesh.

Jackson Grey

And as he lost consciousness he heard the man's voice clearly, telling him just how perfect he was as his cheek was stroked with the murderer's other hand.

)

How much time had passed before he regained consciousness Blake had no way of knowing, waking up with aching muscles, a killer headache, and the realization that he was lying on his stomach on a bed with his hands and feet tied. He was in an old, residential basement judging from the size and what little he could see of his surroundings. No windows, just a single bulb above him. Crap. Whimpering. The protector he was had Blake reacting to the sounds automatically again as he shifted his body just enough so that he could see that David was in the room as well, locked in a nearby cage that was only just big enough to hold the boy.

"John?"

"I'm awake, David. You aren't alone."

With tears running down his cheeks the boy babbled and apologized for the part he'd played luring him out of his apartment. Grey had threatened to hurt the child's little sister and mother if he didn't obey and had shown him a knife to make sure he believed him. He hadn't wanted to do it, but he hadn't known what else to do.

Seeing how close David was to slipping into hysterical shock Blake sought to distract while he focused on getting them out of their present situation. "David, did I ever tell you that my first name is actually Robin?"

"No." The boy sniffed, rubbing at his swollen eyes. "It is?"

"Yup. It was my father's name, and he told me once that it was one of the reasons my mother agreed to go out with him. Because his name was a bird's too." Rolling onto his back Blake brought his legs up for closer inspection, relieved to see that the ropes would be easy to untie once he was free. Hopefully his hands would be the same when he could see them.

When David asked what bird his mother had been named after Blake continued the story, especially since it was going to be his mother's blood that got them out of their current fix.

"Her first name was Dove. She came from a family who had a longstanding tradition of naming all their family members after birds. Do you know why?"

"Uh uh."

"Well, I'm about to show you why."

And as he began to slide his bound hands down and over his ass, bending his legs to slide them through, Blake explained.

His mother had come from a family of acrobats, the bird names a good luck charm against the possibility of falling when they took to the high wire. Birds always flew, and so had the Flying Graysons as they'd been called. And one of the things that had made them so good at what they did was that those who were Grayson by blood tended to inherit the family trait of being double jointed.

Blake thought but didn't say that while he'd never had the opportunity to meet his maternal family or learn from them, they'd been killed by a mob boss during a visit to Gotham, he'd done gymnastics in high school and Bruce had further honed his body during his training. Which was why, with very little contortion on his part, he was now able to start using his teeth to undo the rope binding his hands together while David cheered.

Thankfully Grey hadn't gotten fancy, obviously depending on the hands behind the back to insure his prey didn't get a chance to even attempt to free himself. And that was going to come back and kick him in the ass, Blake thought with the darkest intent, looking forward to delivering the kick with extreme bloodlust.

The motherfucker should have left David out of it. That was crossing a serious line.

When his hands were loose he quickly shook them to get feeling back in them, his attention shifting to the door that would be there only way out of the windowless basement they were being held in.

Seconds later, as though his gaze had set off some alarm, the sound of a lock being turned had Blake shifting immediately so that he was sitting up on his knees with his hands behind his back to hide the fact that they were free, the elevation of the pillows just enough that he hopefully wouldn't look too awkward as he sought to undo the rope through touch alone.

The man who stepped into the room didn't look like a monster. They so often didn't. He was actual attractive in face and form, at least until you looked into his eyes. Even in the photographs you could see, from the man's stare alone, that there was nothing human about Jackson Grey.

"You're awake. Good."

"You're going to be sorry you took him." David's voice was full of false bravado, but it was enough to draw Grey's attention away from Blake for the moment. "Detective Blake…his boyfriend is huge. As big as Hagrid from Harry Potter. When he finds out you hurt him he'll crush you like a bug. My dad's seen him. He said he's so big and strong looking that if he played for the Gotham Rogues, they'd actually get to the playoffs for once."

Imagining the damage Bane could do playing professional football Blake had to admit David's father wasn't wrong. Plus men in uniforms were hot.

And he'd done it, Blake thought as the ropes fell away, subtly rotating his feet as he mentally prepared to attack. Game on.

"Is he the one who marked you so thoroughly?" Grey inquired, his focus now on Blake as the boy didn't interest him. "I have to say, that came as quite the…surprise."

Belatedly it occurred to him that he wasn't wearing a shirt and that he was wearing leather pants instead of his jeans from earlier. Fury burned in Blake's eyes at the realization, the idea that the sick bastard had seen him naked, touched him…it pumped up his adrenaline and quickly cleared his head of what remained of the drug. Come here, his eyes challenged now, and I'll rip your throat out with my teeth.

"Such fire and passion. Jeremy was the same. I didn't believe the pictures at first, the video. You look…so much like him." The boy forgotten, Grey's entire focus was on Blake, his face and body conveying his sick lust and intentions. He'd been warned to kill the detective before the end of the week, but how could he? No, he was going to keep him, take him, finally have the man he wanted by his side always. Jeremy had never really understood him, hadn't loved him the way he should have. But this man, who looked so much like his doomed previous love, was obviously much darker, much more in touch with his animal side. Those eyes, they spoke of such anger and bloodlust, they called to him like a siren.

Moving in closer to the bed, his intention to steal a kiss and fan the flames, Grey had only enough time to draw in a startled breath before Blake sprang at him, tackling him to the floor with a snarl of fury.

And as soon as they landed Blake drew back his fist and delivered three punishing blows to the man's face, knocking him out with the first and adding the other two for him and David.

While David cheered and hollered from his cage Blake got to his feet and retrieved the ropes, using them to tie Grey up in such a way that only someone very experienced and skilled with knots was going to get them off anytime soon.

That done he patted the assehole down until he'd found the keys and got David the hell out of his small prison, clutching the boy tightly to him while David did the same.

"Let's get the hell out of here, shall we?"

In wholehearted agreement David asked if he couldn't kick the bad guy once before they left, and not having a problem with that Blake told him to go ahead. He'd take the blame with a clear conscience.

Once that was accomplished Blake gave the still shaky boy a piggyback ride up the stairs so that they could go find a phone. He had some calls to make.


	11. Checking Up

Checking Up

Blake had never been a fan of hospitals, and that hadn't changed since the last time he'd been in one. He especially hated hospital gowns, and didn't see why he couldn't have his own clothes if they were going to make him stay the night just to be anal. Unfortunately arguing had gotten him nowhere even when he'd used his dimples on them, the head nurse had threatened him with needles to the ass. And while it did help a little to have company, they weren't that good of a distraction considering they were all worried about him even though he was just fine, thank you very much. His partner had called Father Reilly who had come straight over to sit with him, and the two plus Gordon were in hover mode at the moment while two uniformed officers guarded the door, just in case.

He supposed he should just be grateful his top half was covered, Blake thought to himself as he pretended to listen to the conversation the others were having. The idea of putting one of Jackson's shirts had been too nauseating for words, so he'd had to greet his fellow cops with Bane's marks on full display for all to see. Which was why he'd asked his doctor to take X-Rays and show them to Gordon so that the commissioner could see for himself that he wasn't being abused by his lover and that the marks were only skin deep.

He was not looking forward to the comments he was going to get when he returned to duty.

And they were still going to sic the shrink on him, Blake stewed over with no small amount of bitterness, even though neither Bane nor Jackson had abused him in a way that would require therapy. Gordon had put his foot down about that because apparently he would be mentally traumatized by what had almost happened to him if he didn't spend a few weeks talking to a quack about his feelings. And yeah, he was liable to have some bad moments, especially since Bane wasn't due back for a few more days, but he'd soldier through it like always. This was certainly not the first time his life had been threatened, and as for the other stuff-he'd deal with that in his own way. He fucking hated shrinks and that was that as far as he was concerned. Blame his social workers and foster parents for sending him to too many of them when he was a kid.

Activity at his door drew Blake's attention in that direction, Gordon going over to see what was going on with a steely look in his tired eyes. Moments later he cleared the two guests come to visit, Blake raising an eyebrow when Bruce came in with Alfred trailing behind him.

"Detective Blake."

"Mr. Wayne." Blake nodded in Alfred's direction and then turned his attention back to his hero, hoping his questioning look was authentic enough. "What brings you here?"

"An odd twist of fate, actually. I decided to go and look over some buildings I own that I've been thinking of having rehabbed today. While I was there I happened to notice a shop going out of business nearby that sells children's stuffed animals and had a bit of a brainstorm. My paternal grandmother, as you may or may not know, was largely responsible for the children's portion of the hospital and it occurred to me that perhaps the current residents of that section might like some of the shop's wares. I bought as many as we could carry between the two of us and came straight here, which is when I heard you were here and thought I'd drop in and see that you were fine for myself."

He could hear Father Reilly explaining to Gordon how Bruce and he knew each other, Blake trusting that the commissioner would be satisfied with that while he thanked Mr. Wayne very politely for dropping by. Naturally Bruce knew Gordon, and his mentor knew Ross from a chance meeting when he and his partner had gone to the boys' home for some B-ball with the kids so introductions weren't needed there.

Ever the charmer Bruce soon had the other men's attention on him, Alfred moving around his employer to come over and use the shield Bruce's body now provided him to reach out and take Blake's hand in his, giving it a loving squeeze before turning his attention to fluffing his pillows for him and reassuring him that the hospital staff here was first class.

Bruce waited until Alfred was done fussing and had moved away before turning his attention back to Blake, the small smile that curved his lips warning Blake before the man reached into his pocket for something, pulling it out and then lightly tossing it at him.

Grabbing it in mid-air Blake stared at the brown, bat beanie baby he now held in his cupped hands, a delighted laugh bubble past his lips as they shared a grin.

"I thought you might need something to help you sleep too."

Over the chuckles his companions weren't managing to muffle very well Blake dryly thanked him for the gift.

"Well it's the least I can do since you went out of your way to try and return an earring you thought was Miranda's. Did you ever find the real owner?" Bruce asked, deliberately switching his attention over to Father Reilly who he was supposed to know far better than he knew the man lying in the hospital bed.

"No, unfortunately. I took her suggestion and called up the reporters to see if they'd lost one, but that didn't pan out. I've got it stashed in my office and if no one claims it soon I'll just toss it." A gleam of mischief came into the old priest's eyes. "Unless you've decided to pierce your ear and want it, Mr. Wayne. You're welcome to it."

"I'll leave that to the younger…more expressive gentlemen, thanks."

"Perhaps you should ask Ms. Tate's opinion on piercings before you say no." Blake pointed out, incapable of not leaping on this particular bandwagon. Teasing the man was what he did, and Bruce was asking for it with the present.

"Thankfully she's away on business for the week so you won't be able to ask her. And now I think I better be going before you two decide to convince a nurse to put a hole in my ear."

"Blake could do it, the scamp pierced his own ear when he was sixteen."

Everyone looked in Blake's direction then, Blake sticking his tongue out in response. He'd looked damn hot with an earring, he mumbled under his breath. If it hadn't been for the fact that he'd seen someone get a hoop earring ripped out of their ear he'd probably still have it. But yeah, that was the sort of mental image that stuck with you, so he was good with the occasional fake one for fun.

And thinking about that ripped ear had Blake losing what little appetite he'd had, which was probably for the best given the crap hospitals served.

)

It was half an hour before visiting hours were over and a very hungry Blake wondered if Barsad would try and sneak in to see him. He doubted the mercenary would bother, but if he did Blake hoped he wouldn't harm the guards outside his door since any injuries they sustained would be his fault. He'd gotten Ross to go to his place and pick him up some stuff, including his phone, and he'd texted Bane's right hand to let him know what the situation was and to ask him a favor hours ago.

Rubbing his hands over his face at the reminder Blake could only pray that Barsad relayed the message to Bane and that his lover agreed to his request. The only response he'd gotten from Barsad thus far was a two word text 'Message Received', and that didn't tell him a hell of a lot. If Bane arranged for Jackson to be killed it would be because of him and he couldn't have that on his conscience. But would Bane listen, understand why he couldn't cross that line? Because he doubted it, and he couldn't even talk to the man to try and make him see things from his perspective. What would he do if Bane acted before he could talk to him?

Turning his head at the sound of a knock at his door Blake called out for whoever it was to enter, propping his pillows up behind him so that he could sit up.

The woman who came into the room was a leggy redhead with intelligent eyes, a killer smile, and a large bag slung over her shoulder that was probably filled with books. "Hey, Handsome."

"Hey, Legs." Smiling back at her Blake informed her that she'd missed her uncle by about forty minutes.

"Yeah, he's the one that filled me in." Coming to a stop in front of his hospital bed Barbara Gordon gave him a thorough looking over and then nodded. "Okay, you didn't get you're too messed up, you deserve a reward. Put that bed table in front of you."

After he'd done precisely that Barbara set her bag on the bed and then pulled out the first zip-lock bag, which contained McDonald's French fries. Then a quarter pounder in another bag was retrieved, as well as a bottle of coke. "I learned my lesson the last time I was in this place. I tried to sneak a friend of mine some chocolate, and the head nurse laid into me like I'd tried to smother Kelly in her sleep with her own pillow. They've got noses like bloodhounds, but what they can't smell won't hurt either of us."

Opening the lid Blake saw that she'd ordered the quarter pounder without cheese, just the way he liked it. "If I was straight we'd be married."

"Goes without saying."

Letting him arrange things and dig in Barbara retrieved a chair for herself and then took a seat, crossing her legs in front of her. "So what's with the bat beanie baby?"

"Bruce dropped in."

"Gotcha." Unlike her uncle Barbara knew who Batman really was and had in fact shown up at Wayne manor just like he had years ago, demanding to know what had really happened with Dent for her uncle's sake. She'd gone to live with Gotham's commissioner after her parents had died and she hadn't been about to lose her Uncle Jim too. After she'd bullied the truth out of Bruce she'd promised to keep quiet about his true identity, mostly because she'd figured that if people were too dumb to put the pieces together they didn't deserve to know in the first place. She didn't hang out with him and Bruce, not really her thing, but she did computer stuff for them sometimes, though her actually job was as a librarian.

Which reminded him..."So has the 'Oracle' had any luck with the challenge I gave her?"

"As a matter of fact, I have." Oracle was her hacker name, though she didn't advertise that fact. She'd really hate for her uncle to have to arrest her for accessing information she was technically not supposed to know existed, much less read it. "So Alfred knows what he's doing, but he's not in my league and thanks to my amazing skills I've found enough to be suspicious too."

"Such as?"

"Such as her info's been screwed with. Dig through enough layers and I can see that someone went in and played around with the details. Someone with some serious, and I do mean serious skills FYI. What's under those layers and what she's hiding, well I'm still looking into that. But I did notice something else that really rubbed me the wrong way." Stealing one of his French fries Barbara pointed it in his direction. "So I researched the area she's living in, thought I'd see if anything interesting has gone on around there since she moved into the place. And that's when I discovered that what Ms. Whoever-She-Is might be hiding is a criminal connection."

His full attention on her Blake asked what she'd found.

Reaching into her bag again after eating her fry Barbara retrieved a folded up map, rearranging it until it showed the section she'd already drawn on. "So before she moved in the penthouse and the area around it were having problems, seems a gang set up shop in some abandoned warehouses in that area and were making serious pests of themselves. They started out just tagging buildings in this area I've marked, claiming it as their territory, but it wasn't long before they started hitting some stores, mugging people, a couple sexual assaults occurred that might have been them-you get the picture. They were escalating quickly and the bastards were pretty good about evading the police…and then two weeks after Tate moves in they're gone. They moved clear across the city and started over there, or tried to, anyway. There was a sudden, unexplained drop in their numbers prior to the move and they didn't last long." Which was no loss as far as she was concerned. "I know this is a large area, and there are a few people in that area that deal in the shady, but the timing and my gut says maybe they made the move because someone wanted them out of HER new territory."

"I'd trust your gut any day."

"We'd both trust Alfred's too." She added. She liked chatting with him online sometimes, he was so adorably old school. "I don't have enough to take to Bruce though. Not if he's gone on her."

"I don't think he's gone, he doesn't talk about her the way he does Rachel. At this point I'd say it's more about the company and the regular sex."

"Preaching to the choir there." Barbara rolled her eyes expressively. "There's this total hottie that comes to the library twice a week to pick up books for a friend of his, and if he doesn't ask me out soon I'm going to push a book shelf on him. I've been wearing stilettos every time he comes in to pick up an order and you have no idea how much those shoes make my feet cry afterwards."

"Maybe he's gay?"

"That would figure. I'll have to get you to come around sometime, use your gaydar for me."

"It's the least I can do."

"Damn right."

)

Two Days Later

Staring absently out the window Bane's thoughts were, as they'd been for days now, on Blake. Which had no doubt been the other man's intention with that phone stunt of his, and he was going to see that his bird paid dearly when he returned to Gotham. What he was going to do to the detective was still up in the air even though he'd given it a LOT of thought, but he had a mind to incorporate some of those devices Blake had dared to taunt him with. Yes, sex was going to be involved in a big way somehow.

When his phone went off he nearly jumped in surprise due to the deepness of his thoughts, his blood going ice cold in the next heartbeat when he saw who was calling him. Something would have to be very wrong for Barsad to be calling him considering the other man knew that he would be back in Gotham within thirty-eight hours given the timeline he'd been given.

"What's wrong?"

"Blake's fine but he had a run-in with Jackson. I thought you'd want to know as soon as possible."

"Explain."

"Someone wants Blake dead. When the cops searched Jackson's place they found pictures showing that someone's had him under surveillance for at least two months. There was also a recording of his turn on the stage at Tanzello's strip club. They had him come in for questioning but I'm with Blake on this one. It doesn't fit Tanzello's M.O. to pull something like this. He went to too much trouble to make sure you knew he wouldn't be a threat, he has no personal reason to want Blake hurt or dead, and if he did he'd have done it quick and clean and wouldn't have involved a minor. Tanzello's got a rep for never going after innocents, plus I watched the recording of the questioning and I believed him. Someone hacked his system for the recording and it wasn't Jackson. He doesn't have that skill set and I believe his statement that they were sent to him shortly after you left the country, the unknown danger waiting until you were out of the way to spring the trap."

Growling like the predator he was Bane demanded confirmation that Blake was alright again, ignoring Talia's request for an explanation as to what was going on.

"A concussion and a few bruises." The moment's hesitation in Barsad's voice had another growl escaping Bane's masked lips. "Jackson got into Blake's apartment and used a minor child to get Blake to open his door. He then tasered Blake and the boy, removing them from the building by yet unknown means. He transported them to his current residence, tied a then drugged Blake up, and forced the minor into a cage. It appears he was going to use the boy as an incentive for Blake to cooperate. Blake woke up while Jackson was out of the room, got himself free, and took Jackson out when the man returned. After securing Jackson Blake got himself and the minor out of the basement and called the police. They arrived and Blake stayed in the hospital for one night for observation. Myself or individuals I feel are trustworthy have been shadowing him since he was released and I would put him on now but he has work in the morning and he was wiped from another round with the Feds this afternoon." Another pause. "But he did ask me to give you a message."

"Which is?"

"He wants your word you won't have Jackson killed. I'm advising you to tell him that as long as Jackson's in jail you'll leave him alone. We're going to hit Arkham when we take Gotham anyway…then you can kill him yourself however you like."


	12. True Protector

True Protector

After the phone call was completed Bane asked to use Talia's laptop as Barsad had sent him all the video footage and other information he'd gathered thus far concerning his bird's abduction. With her watching beside him Bane accessed the interviews with Tanzello, Grey, Blake and the child who'd been taken and watched one after another. He agreed with Barsad that Tanzello hadn't been behind this, and he made a vow then and there to devise the most inhumane torture possible to visit upon Grey after listening to the man talk about Blake like he owned him. Knew him. Had the right to touch him and make him his.

In terms of what had happened the three gave pretty corresponding statements, Bane only just managing to restrain himself from losing it over the fact that not only did Grey claim not to know who had pointed him in Blake's direction, but that he believed the man was being honest about that. But he would find out who had tried to take his precious bird away from him, Bane vowed, he would find out who had set his lover up to be raped, tortured and mutilated.

The pain he would visit upon that individual would be equal to Grey's and go on for a very, very long time.

His need to spill blood only increased when he watched the video footage taken from Grey's basement, watching as the bastard brought first Blake and then the boy in, a red haze curtaining over his eyes as he watched the way Grey had touched and stroked his filthy hands over his bird's unconscious body, talking about all the plans he had for him. For this video to exist Grey must have intended to record the horrors he'd intended to visit upon his captives to watch later, to enjoy their suffering that much more…

Not even The Pit would be punishment enough.

"Well I see now why you're so hung up on him, My friend."

Blinking hard, trying to focus, Bane looked over in Talia's direction. "What do you mean?"

Miranda gestured towards the lap top screen. "His flexibility."

Turning his attention to what was playing out there Bane acknowledged that yes, his bird was very flexible, and thank every deity known to mankind that he was, but he didn't see why Talia would think that that would endear his lover to him. And then it did and Bane could only stare at her, unable to believe that she would be making a joke about sex when he'd just listened and watched a psychopath put his hands on and plot to do unspeakable things to his lover.

What he was thinking was in his eyes, and Miranda's face immediately shifted into comforting, understanding lines. "I was only trying to lighten the mood so you don't break my laptop in two. He's fine, Bane, you saw for yourself when he gave his statement. Barsad is with him, you know there is no one better to keep your Blake safe."

Since he really was in danger of breaking the laptop Bane gave it back to her before he destroyed it. He would watch and review whatever else there was for him to see on his plane ride back to Gotham when they were on two different flights. Then he would be alone and free to react without anyone around to watch him. And he could call Blake then, speak to him.

For now though he would remain silent, least he say things he would rue later. He had not been able to sleep before, worrying that something would happen to his bird while he was away, and now that he knew something had happened he doubted he'd be getting any rest until he had his detective with him again.

)

Sitting across from each other Blake and Barsad didn't speak as they dug into the pancakes the former had made since he'd woken up with plenty of time to spare. Neither man was used to eating breakfast with someone, and they weren't morning people by nature. They'd discussed all that was important already, with Blake reviewing his day with Barsad so that the man knew what he'd be up to and the mercenary passing along Bane's promise not to go after Grey so long as the man remained in police custody.

It occurred to Blake that he'd never done this with Bane, and that it somehow felt disloyal to share a morning meal with a man who wasn't his lover in his home, but he didn't suppose Bane would care and Barsad certainly wouldn't misinterpret things. They could be civil to each other, but he didn't trust the other man as far as he could throw him and Barsad had made his feelings towards civil servants abundantly clear at this first meeting.

So yeah, silence was the way to go.

When his phone went off Barsad pulled it out of his pocket and checked the number, not surprised to see who it was. "Hello."

"Put him on."

Holding out the phone Barsad waited until it was in Blake's hand before getting up and taking his plate so that he could finish his breakfast in the living room. He did not want to hear any sex or couple's talk between the two. What he knew about the relationship was traumatizing enough as it was.

Blake watched the man leave with some amusement before saying hello into the phone, smiling automatically as Bane's voice came somewhat statically over the line.

"You are unhurt, Parjito?"

"Your little bird is just fine." Blake assured him wryly, regretting the phrasing a little as soon as he said it but pushing that aside as he asked the man how he was doing in turn.

"I was not the one kidnapped."

"Well you might have been and Barsad just didn't tell me." Blake teased. "There are men stupid enough to try."

There were, Bane agreed, but that had not been the case in this instance and he wanted to know that Blake was doing well. His own well being was of no importance.

"It is to me, but I really am doing fine. Everyone's waiting for me to flip out or crack-but mostly I'm just pissed off. If he hadn't taken David then maybe I'd behave the way everyone expects, but I'm so angry that he was put in harm's way, that all this happened to him because of me-that I don't even really think of the other stuff until someone shoves it down my throat."

"That the child was used against you is not your fault."

"Yeah, if I was a Vulcan that logic would work on me, but thankfully I'm not."

"I don't know what that means."

"I'll introduce you to J.J. Abram's version of the series when you get back. I think you might enjoy it."

Briefly Blake explained the idea of Vulcans and Star Trek, fairly knowledgeable since he'd dated a Trekkie a few years back. He knew Bane wasn't much for television and movies normally, but he thought the way ancient mythology and classical stories had been used in the series would maybe appeal to him.

Agreeing to watch the movies with him when he returned, Bane made it clear that he would be returning as soon as possible.

"If you're still getting in around four just get my key from Barsad and let yourself in. I won't be done work until five. I'd say you could just pick me up but I don't think you being in close proximity to the station would be a good idea. Some…some of them think what happened was because someone wanted to hurt you through me."

"The thought has occurred to me."

Blake narrowed his eyes at Bane's tone. "If you dump me because of this I'll punch you."

"You would break your hand doing so."

That that wouldn't stop him from trying was Blake's response to that one. He'd been using a punching bag quite frequently at the police gym when he had the time, working his anger out that way since he couldn't risk going to Bruce's place for a proper work-out slash brawl. He was raring for a real fight at this point.

"I would not harm you."

"Then don't dump me."

"You were prepared to 'dump me' earlier." Bane reminded him, his voice still cool and more mechanical than usual.

"Bane."

"I do not intend to leave you. That would only suggest to my enemies that you are indeed someone who can be used against me. By staying with you I will lead others to believe that I care more about the services you provide then your safety."

A long pause followed that statement.

"Services I provide."

Bane's chuckle was distorted by his mask and the poor connection, but Blake heard and was not terribly amused by it.

"There is no need to be angry, Parjito, that is only how they see you. They are so blinded and dead to intelligent thought that they cannot see the truth. And I will let no harm come to you, you know that."

"I know you're a badass, Bane. That was never in question." A pause. "And on that subject…Barsad said that you'd agreed to my request concerning Grey. I'd like to hear you say it though."

"I will not arrange for him to be harmed or killed so long as he is in police custody. You have my word."

Noting the wording yet again Blake surmised that Grey would meet a very untimely, painful end if he were ever to somehow get free, but as that wasn't going to happen given all the evidence they had he didn't push the matter. The odds of the man escaping from Arkham, where he'd be staying for a while until the nearby federal prison had a space available for him, were slim to none.

"Thank you. I know you'd much rather…deal with him yourself."

"You have no idea what I would do to that vesceris corpi."

Blake had no idea what that meant and said so.

"It is Latin. I call that rancid, putrid creature one who eats, enjoys and makes use of corpses."

"Ah. It sounded better the other way."

Agreeing that it probably did Bane turned their conversation to the work Blake had returned to, the detective assuring him that he was on light duty at the moment and that he had the coming weekend off completely. They could spend it together watching the Star Trek movies and hanging out if Bane wasn't busy.

They hashed out possible activities for another ten minutes before the connection got really bad, Bane surmising that the plane he was on was currently flying through a zone that was not conductive to cellphone use. So they said their good byes before they got cut off completely, both hanging up afterwards with a dull ache in their chest that they knew wouldn't abate until the other man was with him once more.

)

Walking down the hallway Blake stopped in front of his apartment door, wondering absently to himself how long it would be before he could look at it and his front hallway without remembering being tasered and drugged. He had a feeling it was going to be a while. But he was too stubborn to move and he'd be damned if he'd let himself think for a moment that he'd been made a victim. He was not and never would be that again.

Unlocking the door Blake stepped in, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it up beside Bane's. And if he took a moment to breath in the scent that clung to said coat, drawing strength from it before he faced the other man, well he was only human.

He'd almost reached the end of the hallway when Bane appeared, Blake forgetting all about his planned speeches and 'I'm fine' reassurances. Whereas he showed no outward signs of what had happened to him the same could not be said for Bane, though you really had to know the man's eyes and body language to see it. To his eyes his lover looking worn out, stressed, and so tense Blake could almost see the headache pounding in the man's head.

"Fuck. Why is it every time I let you out of my sight for a few days you end up looking like hell?" Swearing under his breath Blake marched over, grabbed Bane's arm, and started pulling him in the direction of the bedroom.

"Parjito…"

"We'll discuss what happened later." Cutting off that line of discussion Blake continued to lead Bane where he wanted him to go, telling the man to strip and get on the bed once they arrived. Orders given he headed towards the bathroom after he made sure Bane intended to listen.

Watching Blake go Bane continued to strip, deciding that the man wanted to have sex to prove to the both of them that what had happened hadn't scarred him in that way. It was not the most well thought out plan, but he needed to be close to his bird and he wanted to see for himself that Barsad hadn't found some way to hide the true extent of the damage. But he would be as gentle as he could, and he would make sure that they did talk about what happened so that the wounds opened by what had happened were properly cleaned instead of remaining open and untreated. His lover had enough dark places inside him.

Bane heard water running as he stretched out of the bed, Blake coming out soon afterwards wearing simple black pajama bottoms and carrying a bottle he didn't recognize.

"Roll over onto your stomach."

Bane jerked in surprise-his little bird couldn't be thinking to prove his strength and manhood by suggesting…

A small smile quirked Blake's lips. "Sex later with me on the bottom. On your belly, Bane."

Cautiously doing as asked Bane didn't know what to make of Blake's move to climb onto the bed and then on top of him, straddling the middle of his back. He heard the sound of the lid being popped open, and then the man's fingers were digging into his shoulders, slicked with some sort of lotion that was warm and only got hotter as Blake worked it into his knotted muscles. "Blake…?"

"You look like hell and you have knots bigger than my fist in here. Right now you need more TLC than I do. Just relax, okay? Let me take care of you and then you can take care of me. I'll sleep a lot better tonight with you here-if you can stay that is. If not I'll be fine too."

"I am staying."

"Good. Now seriously, relax or I'm going to break my fingers working all these kinks out."

Unnerved to be in this position, even though he knew in his gut that he could trust his back to Blake, Bane concentrated on the feel of the man's fingers, so strong and capable, suggesting that his lover knew something about both pressure points and massage. The lotion being rubbed into his flesh was surprisingly effective too, reminding him of a similar cream that they'd developed at the League. This one didn't cause him to smell like a wet yak though, which was a definite improvement. "What is this cream called?"

"It doesn't have a name, or at least not one that I know. A friend of mine discovered the original recipe for it during his travels and then he and a friend played around with it to make their own version." According to Bruce the original version caused the user to smell like a wet yak, so naturally he and Alfred had altered that aspect.

"I see. You are skilled at this." Already his tension headache was abating, the pleasure of his bird's weight on him, the man's hands tending to him so caringly, eased both his muscles and his mind so that he couldn't help but relax into his lover's touch.

"Thanks. I like touching you."

"As do I."

Smiling Blake sensed that he was winning this particular 'battle' and pushed ahead, telling Bane that while he'd been in the station that day he'd run into a man that was known as the Wanker Wizard. He knew he'd never mentioned the man before but asked Bane if he had anyways, waiting until the man replied that he hadn't before launching into a retelling of every time he'd encountered the man who had a habit of traveling throughout Gotham and putting on mini magic shows that always ended with him making articles of clothing disappear so that he could flash whoever happened to be in his audience. He'd had numerous encounters with the 'magician' back in his officer days and he had loads of stories from other cops too about the guy too. Not that he thought Bane would care, but hopefully it would take the man's mind off everything else and since he was talking in his soothing, dealing with children voice as he aimed to lull the man into sleep.

Bane couldn't begin to comprehend why his bird would think he would want to hear these stories, other than to make him wish to see this Wanker fellow killed in the takeover of Gotham, but he decided to humor his lover nonetheless, enjoying the soft gentleness of the man's voice as it stroked and soothed something deep inside of him that had been raw and painful since he'd gotten the news of Grey's attack.

His bird was safe and they were together, Bane thought to himself as he allowed his eyes to flutter closed, breathing in the familiar scents around him. Everything was as it should be, and he would keep it that way.

Blake kept on talking until Bane's breathing slipped into the deepness of slumber, a smile on his lips as he confirmed the fact that the other man was out for the count before stopping the massage that had become about pleasure as opposed to medicinal.

And not wanting to leave either Blake rubbed the remaining lotion into his skin and then retrieved a book from his nightstand to keep busy with. Book in hand he settled back so that he could lay down on top of his man's back with his head pillowed on Bane's broad shoulder, content to stay there and read until the other man woke up.


	13. Taste Testing

Taste Testing

When the grumblings in his stomach got to be too much for him to ignore Blake slid off Bane's back, delighted in spite of himself when the man's arm immediately shot out to grab him, pulling him back up against his side. And as much as he did love to be in a bed with Bane Blake shook his head and informed the lightly sleeping hulk of muscle that he would be back shortly, he was just going to get some food so that he'd have the energy to properly celebrate his return once he was done napping.

The snort was probably in reference to the term nap, but Bane's grip loosened, allowing him to leave the bed.

Heading straight to the kitchen Blake mentally reviewed what he had to eat, the options more substantial than usual due to the food he'd been given since he'd left the hospital. Barbara had dropped off a casserole and some sandwich fixings, and David's mother had made him lasagna and pie in thanks for saving her son from Grey. He'd felt guilty as hell taking the food from her considering David would have never been grabbed if not for him, but she didn't see it that way and didn't blame him in the slightest.

Which was why he blamed himself that much more.

He'd have the lasagna, Blake decided on the spot, thinking that that way he could give her back her pans that much sooner so that they weren't a daily reminder of what had happened.

Opening up the fridge the detective stared at what sat on the middle shelf in confusion, very sure that the bakery box hadn't been there at breakfast. Reaching in to retrieve it, the revelation that Grey had been set on him making him wary, Blake blinked in shock when he opened the lid to see the strawberry shortcake that rested inside. The same shortcake he'd been eating on Valentine's Day when Bane had come over. He'd remembered.

Or this was a well played trick designed to poison him. That was entirely possible too.

Preferring to believe that Bane had bought this for him before coming, the man's version of a 'Get Well Soon' present, Blake allowed himself to smile like an idiot for a bit before turning his attention to the lasagna and salad fixings also in his fridge.

Cutting out a huge chunk Blake put the plated lasagna in the microwave to heat up while he threw together a Caesar salad, splitting it between two plates. When the lasagna was done he cut it up so that he had a quarter of the overall slice, the rest was for Bane. Leaving his plate of food behind Blake opted to just give Bane water, that being the healthiest option he had available.

When he got back to the bedroom he found Bane lying on his back with a book in hand, Bane setting it aside as soon as he entered.

"Okay, so here's your share of dinner. I'll eat in the kitchen, you have thirty minutes to eat your share before I come back here and jump your sexy body. Don't argue about eating, you need the food and we both know it. Got it?"

"Yes."

"And the strawberry shortcake was from you, right?" When Bane nodded his head Blake grinned and moved in, leaning down to press his lips against Bane's mask where his man's lips would have been. "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

"See you in thirty then." Winking in Bane's direction Blake smiled and then headed back the way he'd come.

)

Removing his mask Bane studied the tray his bird had set on the bedside table for him, noting that there was a slice of shortcake for dessert. His lover had decided to share his favorite treat with him. Smiling over that fact he glanced towards the door, not sure what to think of the fact that he believed absolutely that the other man wouldn't return or try to peek despite his little bird's obvious determination to see him without his mask on. But his Blake was an honorable man, he believed that in his bones.

And he would be back in thirty which meant he better start eating too.

Normally he consumed only that which would benefit his body and give him the nutrients necessary to survive and function at an optimum level. He had never had any interest in the processed, genetically altered filth many Westerners considered food, hadn't he scowled Blake mere weeks before for eating the strawberry shortcake he'd arranged for Barsad to buy for him? Nothing on the tray, save the water, was remotely beneficial to his body, Bane decided with a shake of his head, but Blake had prepared this meal for him and it would do no damage to his body just this once.

Setting the tray on his lap he picked up the silverware Blake had provided him with, cutting into the lasagna first. Grimacing at its appearance and the calories he would have to work off Bane shook his head again and brought the fork to his lips.

Oh.

Eyes widening as the tastes and textures registered, Bane would have choked if he hadn't been so lost in the pleasure of his senses as they went into overdrive. Never had he imagined that something so bad for him could taste so good, the various aspects that made up the lasagna coming together in a hot, spicy mix that had him moaning in pleasure.

Telling himself to eat something a little better for him Bane forced himself to fork up some of the salad, which at least was green.

Oh again.

Going back and forth between the two foods Bane didn't so much as touch his water, savoring every mouthful as he tried to find words that accurately described what he was consuming. Delicious, intoxicating, orgasmic, heavenly-nothing came close and he stopped trying since he'd rather be enjoying than analyzing. In The Pit they'd eaten garbage, the substances they were given only just enough to keep them alive and existing. Nothing fresh, nothing edible. When he'd been removed from the prison he'd been taken to the League of Shadows headquarters, where the food had been edible but seen as simply fuel for the body to make it stronger. Plain, hearty fare, and what he'd eaten ever since.

He'd seriously, seriously been missing out.

Once his main course and salad was done Bane eagerly turned his attention to the strawberry shortcake, remembering well how enthusiastic his bird had been about it. At the time he'd thought the man was simply exaggerating its appeal, but now…he was willing to keep an open mind.

Studying the dessert in appreciation Bane licked his lips and then took a bite, his eyes closing in sugary bliss.

His little bird had not been exaggerating.

)

Knocking before entering, just in case, Blake waited until he was given the okay before entering, eyes immediately going to the very empty tray before turning his attention to the man sitting on the bed. Eyebrows raising at the blissed out expression Bane was wearing, they hadn't even had sex yet, Blake removed the pajama bottoms he'd been wearing and naked moved in to take a seat on the man's lap, nuzzling his face against Bane's neck before saying that he was glad to see him looking so much more relaxed.

Lifting a hand to stroke through Blake's hair Bane's voice was soft as he apologized for questioning the man's judgment when it came to the shortcake's appeal.

Laughing in delight Blake moved back a little so that he could see the man's face better, stroking the sides of his lover's leather covered cheeks. "Not better than sex with me though, right?"

"No, not that."

"Good answer." Blake grinned as a random thought occurred to him. "You know, I wished you'd been around earlier, when Barsad and I were eating breakfast together. It was the awkwardest thing ever. I felt like I was cheating on you, eating breakfast with another man when I've never done that with you. We didn't talk much as a result."

Bane scowl was hidden behind his mask, not liking the idea of that either.

"Is he always so quiet in the morning or was it just me? Normally he likes to annoy me with his company."

"Barsad speaks when he has something he feels worth saying." With his free hand Bane stroked Blake's back up and down in what he hoped was a comforting motion, determinedly changing the subject by asking how the other man had been sleeping. He looked rested, but perhaps he'd been taking something to allow him that reprieve.

"Fine." Blake's eyes crinkled in amusement. "This is Gotham, Bane, not a walk in the park. You need to stop seeing me as fine china, like I need special care. I grew up on bad streets, then foster homes, a boys' home, and then the streets again as a clean cop. This isn't the first time I've been attacked, knocked unconscious, assaulted, or threatened with rape. I've even been tasered before, and knifed. It's the innocents that haunt me, Bane, that keep me up at night…and this time around David got through it without the kind of physical and mental damage he could have suffered because of me. I'll be fine, promise."

Correctly reading the animal fury in the other man's eyes Blake leaned in to place a kiss on Bane's forehead since he knew it would completely throw him off. "Quit looking like that. I'm fine, Bane!"

"Why do you stay in this cursed city?!" Bane's fingers were dug in now, Blake making no protest as he answered without hesitation.

"Because it's mine. And because it needs me."

"It does not deserve you."

Blake's gaze was pointed, his lips still curved in amusement. "I think I'm old enough to decide who deserves me, Bane."

Opening his mouth to state that he wished that Ra's al Ghul had been successful in destroying Gotham, thus insuring that it never got the chance to cause his bird such harm, it occurred to him that…that if the man had done such a thing the beautiful, warm man sitting so trusting in his lap would be dead. So how could he wish the city destroyed? And following closely on that thought was another one.

If he helped Talia complete her mission he would do more harm to his bird than any before him.

"Bane?" Not liking the fact that Bane was staring off into space rather than seeing him, hearing him, Blake lightly shook the man's shoulders. When that got no reaction he said to hell with subtle and opted to use what he'd been denying them both in the hopes of teaching Bane a lesson. Ducking his head down Blake kissed the spot where Bane's neck met his shoulder and then bit down hard enough to break skin, sucking hard over the mark to make sure it stayed there.

A full body shudder was Bane's reaction to the claiming, the action snapping him out of his thoughts so that the fingers that had been digging in painfully loosened enough to be simply possessive, his eyes closing in pleasure as he focused every bit of his being on what his bird was doing.

"Thank you." Bane said softly when Blake stopped and laid his head on his shoulder.

"You're welcome."

Continuing to stroke once more Bane's voice was quiet and serious now. "I knew a man who tried to destroy this city of yours years ago."

"Yeah? The Joker?" Wrapping his arms as far around Bane's chest as they'd go, Blake focused on keeping his heartbeat under control, not wanting to give away anything as he waited to see where this was going. What Bane was going to trust him with.

"No. This man…he believed that in order to save Gotham from itself, and make others in this country recognize their acts of self destruction, Gotham must be destroyed and rebuilt upon its ashes as a city free of corruption and perversions."

Choosing his words very carefully Blake asked if the man had been insane, deluded about his goals, or completely unaware of basic human nature.

"What do you mean?"

"Assuming you mean that he meant to completely wipe Gotham out to 'save' it, well that makes no sense. He had to be insane or delusional and couldn't see that, or he was lying about his real reason for wanting to destroy Gotham in the first place. You don't destroy darkness by doing dark things. That just feeds it, makes it stronger and more seductive. You and I, we know that better than most."

"Do we?"

"We do. Or at least I'm assuming you do, since you are supposed to be smarter than me when it comes to everything but how not to fuck up a relationship." Laughing at the look that statement got him Blake tried a different approach, using sex as an example since their present circumstances had that particularly activity high on his list of things to do soon.

"Why do you touch me when we're having sex?"

Bane blinked, confused as hell by the sudden change in topic.

"Work with me here, Big Guy. I'm using this as an example to argue my point. Why do you touch me instead of just fucking my ass until you get off without foreplay?"

More blinking, and suspicion, but Bane was intrigued enough to cautiously answer. "You expect to be touched, pleasured. You would not allow me in your bed if you did not receive equal pleasure from our encounters. And I…enjoy your reactions to my touch."

"Very good." Blake patted Bane on the head just for shits and giggles. "That answer makes you the smart guy who gets laid regularly. See, the guy you know who tried to wreck Gotham, he didn't realize that it's all well and good to have a positive goal, but what you do to obtain that goal is just as important. He was all wham, bam, thank you ma'am, you should feel honored I let you get off too-and didn't realize that the people he was fucking with don't take kindly to being treated like things to be used and thrown away because they aren't good enough for him." Shifting a hand over Blake deliberately squeezed down on the bruising skin he'd marked earlier. "Whereas you and I know that the way to make someone want to be the best they can be, to do things for your benefit, is to care as much about their happiness as you do your own. To make them want to please you, not force them to, with both parties being well satisfied by the end results."

Bane took a moment to think about how much he wished his bird had not used a sex example when it came to his former leader, that was just wrong on a number of levels, before he allowed himself to think about what the man was trying to say, which was hard given that the man had used such a convoluted way of reasoning.

And yet he thought he understood what Blake was trying to say. That if the League had been successful in destroying Gotham they would have reached their short term goal, but it was unlikely the whole world would suddenly decide to behave the way al Ghul had believed they should. There would be no long term success or relationship. It was not human nature to stay intimidated for long, their movies alone demonstrating quite clearly how short the attention span of the average American was. They'd forget in no time, just as people constantly forgot the countless millions who had died in wars, genocides, and acts of terrorism.

But he was not in Gotham solely to help Talia pick up where her father left off. They were also there to get revenge on the city that had killed the man who had tried to save it. And even that might not come to pass, Bane knew, Talia's attention so focused on Bruce Wayne for reasons he couldn't begin to-and that he really, really didn't want to think about.

He had his man naked in his lap, and he for the sake of his sanity it seemed wisest to focus on that instead.

To make that intent clear he swiftly maneuvered them so that Blake was under him, bracing his weight on his arms as they lay flush against each other.

Running his hands over Bane's back Blake smiled as he asked if his previous argument had been as bad as he now thought it had been. It would be all Bane's fault if that was the case too.

"And why would it be my fault?"

"Well I've been seriously deprived of sex since you left, especially since Barsad's been hanging out here every night. I figured he and I barely get along as it is without him hearing me getting myself off or worse, having him misunderstand why I'm moaning and shouting in my bedroom, causing him to break down the door only to find me naked and in the midst of fucking myself to try and take the edge off."

Growling at the thought, he'd have to kill his second in command were Barsad to ever see his bird in such a state, Bane couldn't stop himself from confirming that Barsad had not, at any time, seen Blake naked.

"Me calling him hot and sexy really got to you before, didn't it?"

Another growl greeted that statement, followed by Bane reminding him that he'd called Barsad hot and badass before, not sexy. Unspoken was the fact that he really, really didn't like Blake calling the other mercenary any of those three things.

Amused that Bane remembered exactly what he'd said Blake would have rolled his eyes if not for the fact that he wanted lots and lots of sex in the near future, which wouldn't happen if Bane was in a snit.

So instead he lifted his legs up high on either side of Bane's chest and squeezed. "No, he didn't see me naked. The only man I want to see me that way is the very hot and sexy man above me who makes Barsad look like a skinny little boy in comparison."

"When I get done with you, Parjarito, you will regret teasing me so much."

"Prove it."

And boy did he ever prove it.


	14. A Question of Taste

A Question of Taste

Feeling utterly boneless and blissfully used, Blake was not looking forward to his bedside clock going off. In fact, as guilty as it made him feel, he was terribly tempted to call in sick and just stay in bed all day with Bane. He had just been through a very traumatic experience after all, everyone had been telling him that since Grey had taken him. But if he did that everyone would worry, unfortunately, and he had invested quite a bit of time trying to get it through their stubborn heads that he was just fine and didn't require light duty either. Plus Bane probably couldn't stick around all day anyway.

Groaning at the light pat Bane had just given his ass Blake's smiled a little, too tired to open his eyes. "Uh uh, no more sex. Your point was made, you are the King of Sex and you've ruined me for life. I cede."

Under him Bane's chest rumbled in amusement. "Have I?"

"You so totally did." Blake assured him, his toes curling at the memories of just how thoroughly Bane had loved his body the night before. The fact that both ass cheeks were now being rubbed affectionately had him forcing himself to brace himself up on his elbows, eyes opening to half mast as he met Bane's wide awake and pleased eyes. "I can't go to work if I'm too tired to move." He scolded playfully. "You can name your reward for last night when I get home tonight."

Intrigued, Bane wanted to know what kind of reward he meant.

"See, if I had a big head I'd take that to mean I already fulfill your every fantasy…but your mind just isn't wired that way." Lying back down so that his head was on Bane's chest again Blake closed his eyes and promised to come up with a proper reward for him instead.

Now understanding that his reward would be sexual in nature Bane found himself insisting that he was more than capable of coming up with his reward on his own. He had no idea what he would ask for but he would come up with something. And if he couldn't come up with something on his own he would simply do a little research the mercenary thought to himself. Western culture was obsessed with sex, finding reference material wouldn't be the least bit difficult.

There was amusement in Blake's voice a couple minutes later if he'd thought of something yet.

Instead of answering that question Bane asked why Blake thought he wasn't wired that way. What did that mean, anyway?

"I don't mean it in a bad way. I just called you the King of Sex, remember? Sex just isn't as high on your list of priorities as it is for some people. If you spent as much time thinking about having sex with me as I spend thinking about having it with you I'd have to change your title to God."

A very long pause. "How much time do you spend thinking about having sex with me?"

"If I told you that I'd have to kill you."

"Why?"

"Right…shouldn't have used the pop culture reference." Circling a finger around Bane's right nipple teasingly Blake smiled as he watched it pucker in response to the touch. "Suffice to say that's classified information."

Coming to the conclusion that his little bird was too embarrassed to give him an exact number, which made him that much more curious, Bane couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed himself over the rush of pleasure he got knowing that he was so fiercely desired.

Thankfully the alarm went off, interrupting their embarrassing thoughts.

"Okay, time to get up." With regret Blake stopped teasing him. Sorta. "Time for you to carry me to the bathroom."

"Carry you?"

"Hey, you break it, you carry it to the shower, Bane."

He almost pointed out that he hadn't broken anything but decided to play along, holding his precious one against his chest as he maneuvered them off the bed and started walking towards the bathroom, smiling behind his mask at the way his lover wound his limbs around him to keep them together.

And what the hell…his mask WAS water proof.

)

Staring down at the pile of paperwork he'd been stuck with, and oh how he hated doing paperwork, Blake smiled at the sound of his cell phone going off, the ring tone a familiar one. Plus any distraction was welcome at the moment, especially with all the looks people were giving him while pretending not to. Like he might go crazy at any moment because of what had happened, Blake mentally fumed as he retrieved the phone from his pocket. Yeah, talking to someone he didn't work with sounded like a good idea to him.

"To what do I owe the honor?"

"Why the hell didn't you just tell me that Alfred doesn't like Miranda?"

Okay, well at least Bruce hadn't called to discuss his mental state, Blake reasoned with a wince, that was a small silver lining. "He asked me not to. How'd you find out?"

"I caught Alfred giving her one of his 'looks' behind her back and asked him about it last night. He spilled his guts and opinions after some very pointed questions, including the fact that you and our darling Oracle were looking into her."

"I see."

"just for the record, all you guys had to do was tell me you didn't like her and I would have dumped her sooner."

"Sooner? You dumped her?"

"I'm planning to tonight. Like I said, you just had to tell me. I mean yes I enjoy her company and the regular sex, but we're not serious enough that I'm willing to alienate the people I do love by associating with her." Bruce's voice was half amused, half annoyed. "Next time you think my girlfriend might be evil tell me, okay?"

"I think I can promise that, yes." Feeling a little foolish now Blake asked how Bruce thought she would take the news.

The silence that greeted that question was more than a little foreboding. "Actually, I tried to make it clear I wasn't looking for a serious relationship a couple of weeks ago and her response was the 'I'm hurt, confused, and why can't you love me' routine. Or at least that's what she said…her eyes said she wanted to crucify me to the floor, open me up one vein at a time, and watch me bleed out very, very slowly."

A low whistle under his breath was Blake's response to that. "And you're still together because…"

"She asked for one last kiss and…yeah, the woman has skills." Bruce's sigh was audible over the phone. "I knew she wasn't completely stable, that there was something that made my gut label her trouble…anyway, I've asked our girl to keep looking into Miranda and depending on what she finds I'll look into what I can do to remove her from the board. That's not going to be easy, especially since she can play it that I'm the horrible ex trying to ruin her card, but I am the Wayne in Wayne Enterprises."

Considering this carefully Blake twirled a pen between his fingers as Bruce rhymed off the potential backlash he could get from the other members of the board, especially since a number of them were wrapped around Miranda's little finger as it was. The mention of the board member that had hit on him at the strip club had Blake's lips quirking up, and then his eyes sharpening as something occurred to him.

"If she's that well liked…she couldn't take over, could she? Or have them in her pockets because she knows their dirty secrets? If our girl is having trouble getting dirt on her then your soon to be former girlfriend must have people working for her with serious skills in that area."

Bruce went quiet, considering this, and then stated that no, she couldn't take power from him unless she could prove he was grossly incompetent and driving the company into the ground. He had their loyalty too, especially the older ones who weren't as inclined to think with their dicks as the men closer to his own age.

"Does she have access to any areas of research that…shouldn't be in the hands of a possible bad guy?"

"If you mean the room that's a terrorist's wet dream then no, of course not. I would never…shit…a team of hackers, with her already high security clearance to bounce off of and get them in deep…FUCK!"

More curse words followed the first, Bruce rhyming off various projects and prototypes that might interest a terrorist or arms dealer, the listing and ranting suddenly ending with a shocking swiftness that had a very, very bad feeling growing in Blake's stomach. "Hey…you still there?"

"Our first project together…the project I spearheaded as a memorial for Rachel. Miranda wouldn't need the other weapons and machines if she wanted to cause damage. All she'd need is…"

"Oh fuck." Because Blake knew exactly what Bruce was suggesting and it made him feel like someone of Bane's strength had just socked him in the gut. The project in question had been intended to save billions of lives but had been abandoned because it could just as easily end that many if it was actually used. Science had never been his sort of thing, he'd barely passed his high school courses in the subject, but Bruce had been so down once that project had failed that he'd heard enough to know that the machine they'd built could be used as a bomb that could wipe out the entire city.

And Miranda Tate, possible bad guy, knew all about it.

"Does she know where it's being kept?"

"She didn't….but I showed her a couple months ago at her insistence. She…I have to go. I have to make sure it's out of the equation, just in case."

"Keep me updated. Oh, and see about at least moving some of the other stuff to where she can't find it for the time being."

"Will do."

Ending the call after Bruce did Blake shoved the cellphone back into his pocket and rubbed his hands over his face wearily, knowing the evil butterflies in his stomach wouldn't die until Bruce had called him back to say that steps had been taken to insure that Miranda Tate didn't have the means to destroy Gotham in her well manicured hands. That his fingers itched to call Bane, to ask him if he knew anything about her annoyed him, especially since it highlighted the fact that he couldn't trust anything the man had to say on the matter even if he did. Because even if the two did know each other Bane wasn't the rat type, and they never discussed the man's 'business' in Gotham for a very good reason. They were going to have to eventually, they both knew it, but that would pretty much spell the end of their relationship so they were both putting it off. So sue them, they were only human after all.

Mind turning to all the terrible possibilities, he was too much of a realist not to, Blake pulled out his phone again and texted Bruce a message suggesting that he wear body armor under his clothing when he broke up with Tate, just to be on the safe side.

The return message agreed that that was probably a good idea.

)

Hours later Blake found himself unable to stop pacing as he went from one end of his small living room to the other. Logically he knew that the pacing wasn't doing him a lick of good, there were far better things he could be doing with his time after all, but none of those things were important enough for him to concentrate on. The fact that Bruce and Fox had spent most of the day disassembling, bugging, destroying, or plotting how to best hide lethal gadgets and machines while he'd been stuck at work annoyed him almost as much as the fact that he knew he wouldn't be a hell of a lot of help to them even if he hadn't had to work. Electronics and physics just weren't his strong points.

Machines hated him, so sue him. And they talked and plotted amongst themselves, he was sure of it.

"Argh!"

More pacing and muttering ensued, the reason behind the tirade shifting into Blake cursing the fact that Bruce just had to choose some mentally unstable crazy woman to get semiserious about. The man had dated a few women before her, but Tate was the first the man had gone out with for more than a month after Rachel's death. He couldn't have chosen someone else? Yes this was Gotham City, the pickings were slim, but not everyone here was completely off their rocker. And if he'd known she was dangerous then what the hell had he been thinking-

The irony of what he was ranting about had Blake freezing in place, his eyes a little unfocused as he processed the fact that there were some very uncomfortable parallels between his relationship with Bane and Bruce's messed up one with Tate.

But it wasn't the same for a number of reasons, Blake told himself stubbornly, desperate to reassure himself that he wasn't acting like a stupid, hormonal teenager who's one and only concern was sex and to hell with the consequences. For one thing he and Bane didn't work together and if-when they broke up no one would be hurt but the two of them. And possibly Barsad, Blake acknowledged with the smallest of smiles, because if he was the one doing the dumping and Bane didn't take the news well…then Barsad might end up Bane's punching bag for a few rounds before his man settled down and accepted that the split had been unavoidable.

Unless Bane used him as a punching bag instead, a dark voice in the back of Blake's mind hissed threateningly, the rest of Blake's mind immediately bitch slapping that voice into silence. Because that wasn't what would happen because even if their end was horribly bad, the worst ever, he knew Bane wouldn't take it out on him physically. He wasn't so stupid as to believe Bane would hesitate to maim or even kill him under certain circumstances, but a bad break up wouldn't be one of them.

Blake was still mulling over the whole thing when Bane came into the apartment and, after lecturing him thoroughly about the gross stupidity of being so unaware of his surroundings, asked what he was thinking about so hard.

"If you decided to kill me you'd just snap my neck or put a bullet in my brain, right?"

A long, slow blinking of Bane's eyes greeted that question, the mercenary staring at him blankly.

Blake had to repeat the question two more times before Bane recovered enough to ask why he was being asked this.

"I'm having a mental debate with myself." Blake explained, aware that this was going to be a weird conversation but sure that he wouldn't get everything sorted out in his head without Bane's input. "I mean I'm pretty sure I'd have to piss you off pretty badly for you to off me, like if I accidentally killed Barsad or this mysterious friend you won't talk about…but you'd make it quick and relatively painless, right?"

Moving in closer Bane's eyes were icy cold. "You believe I would so easily end your life?"

"Only in the right circumstances." Not being oblivious to his lover's reaction Blake moved in and stroked his hands up and down Bane's chest soothingly. "I don't mean to be insulting…I'm just really worried about an idiot friend of mine and trying to reassure myself that I'm not similarly idiotic to distract myself from imagining the worst. And if you want, feel free to haul my butt to the bedroom and fuck my brains out. It would probably do me more good at this point than this discussion."

Liking that idea a lot more than his thoughts Blake grabbed Bane's hand and tried to tug the other man with him towards the hallway leading to the bedroom, not succeeding since one never moved Bane unless he wanted to be moved.

"How are you and your friend idiotic?"

Sighing, Blake rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well the short, short version is we both got into relationships with dangerous, lethal people. But as you are mentally sound and not prone to looking at me like you'd literally crucify me if I dumped you, I'm prepared to argue I have better taste." Blake worked up a smile and then muttered under his breath. "Though you can bet he'll throw my relationship with you in my face first chance he gets, especially after I'm done reaming his ass for getting involved with psycho chick in the first place."

Telling himself not to take offense since his bird was definitely very worried about his friend Bane forced himself to ask if Blake really believed the woman posed such a threat to his friend.

"I honestly don't know. That's what worries me."

Bane considered the situation and was offering to send Barsad to protect this friend of his lover's before he'd had time to consider just how pissed off his second in command would be to once again be put on babysitting duty, this time against a woman. Barsad didn't harm women unless he had to, it was a personal line his fellow mercenary adhered to religiously.

Blake stared at Bane, imagining the reaction of Bruce if he told him a member of the League of Shadows was being sent over to Wayne Manor to protect him from his soon to be ex-girlfriend. Followed closely by that image was one of Bane's reaction if he knew who he was offering to protect…and Blake just lost it. Wrapping his arms around Bane's neck Blake let loose with wild laughter, his whole body shaking with mirth as he managed to thank Bane for the offer in fits and starts, assuring him that that wouldn't be necessary.

Completely at sea as to why the man found his offer so funny Bane came to the conclusion that the stress of worrying on top of everything else had simply gotten to the detective, leading to this outburst. Either that or his bird now knew Barsad well enough to know how the man would feel about the assignment.

He could see how Blake would that funny, especially given the relationship between the two.


	15. This Kiss, This Kiss

Note: The reason I have Bane call Blake Spanish endearments is because in original DC canon, Bane was born and incarcerated on a Caribbean island with strong Spanish influences, not the Middle East like in the movie.

This Kiss, This Kiss

It took a while for Blake to get ahold of himself, he hadn't laughed like that in so long that he couldn't remember the last time. It had felt damn good though, especially with Bane's arms were around him to make him feel safe and protected. An illusion, perhaps, but one he preferred to believe in for the moment as he kept his arms wrapped around Bane's neck, leaning back to grin at the other man with his eye crinkles and adorable dimples in full force.

"Thanks, I needed that. And no, don't send Barsad. My friend would probably have my head if he knew I'd even thought about sending him a babysitter."

Since his only objective had been to lift the dark mood that had settled onto his little bird's shoulders Bane saw no reason to push the subject, especially when he could spend all his time and energy looking at his lover instead.

The tips of his ears going red, there was something about the way Bane was staring at him that made butterflies explode in his stomach, Blake fought the urge to bury his face in the space where Bane's neck met his shoulder before he embarrassed himself.

"So did you come up with a suitable reward today? I was going to have a backup just in case, but then I forgot to pick up some honey on the way home."

"Honey?"

Blake gave Bane his most angelic look. "Yup. I have half a bottle's worth in the fridge, but that wouldn't be enough."

Confused, Bane asked what he required a great deal of honey for. Something for dinner?

Unable to keep the angelic look on his face, especially with the thoughts and images now flowing through his mind, Blake deliberately licked his lips before shaking his head in answer to the second question. "No, I need a lot of honey because there's a lot of you."

"You…planned to cover me in honey?"

Removing his arms from around Bane's neck Blake lowered them down and then slid them up and under the other man's shirt, his fingers lightly stroking over the ridges that made up Bane's toned and muscular chest.

"Mhmmm. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I couldn't make up my mind at first as to what I wanted to cover you in, I'm very fond of caramel sauce and vanilla pudding too, you know. But I finally decided that what I most want to suck and lap up out of every ridge and dip in your beautiful body was honey. After I blowed you of course, so that you'd be nice and relaxed, mine to enjoy for as long as it took to lick your body clean. Though given how much there is of you, maybe you'd recover before I could finish and try to take over…I'm looking forward to finding out."

One moment he was standing still and the next Bane had thrown Blake over his shoulder and was heading out of the room without a word of explanation.

Laughing in delight Blake started to knead and stroke Bane's ass while he asked if he was going to be covered in honey instead, not at all opposed to that idea.

Rather than answer Bane simply ignored the other man's hands and zeroed in on the fridge as soon as they were in the kitchen, opening it up to retrieve the bear shaped container of honey from its place on the rack.

Amused and willing to play along Blake couldn't resist squirming a little to try and get further down Bane's back so that he could get his hands between Bane's legs, delighted when he was successfully and could start stroking areas of Bane's anatomy that were bound to get more of a reaction than the ass patting.

Increasing the length of his stride in order to get to the bedroom faster and prevent Blake's fingers from driving him over the edge before he was good and ready Bane got them to the bedroom in record time, gently tossing his precious bird onto the bed and the honey as well. Then he started to strip, ordering Blake to do the same in a voice that broke no argument.

Happy to go along with this plan, and very much in a teasing mood now, Blake removed his clothing as slowly as possible, Bane naked before he'd done more than unbutton and discard his shirt. Taking matters into his own hands Bane got onto the bed and went to work stripping the rest of Blake's clothes off for him with ruthless efficiency, busting the zipper of his jeans in the process.

"You owe me a new pair of jeans." With his feet Blake pushed the comforter down the length of the bed since cleaning honey off just the sheets would be a lot easier.

Staring down at the man stretched out under him like an offering Bane couldn't remember his own name, much less cobble together an understandable response to his bird's demand for clothing compensation. No, all he had in his mind right now were the images it had generated when his lover had so coyly informed him of his honey fantasy. And while the idea of the other man sliding his tongue between defined muscles had him hard…the idea of doing the licking instead short circuited his brain completely so that he wasn't thinking when he reached up and began to undo the straps that held his mask in place.

Eyes wide Blake gasped in surprised shock, his mouth opening to ask if Bane realized what he was doing only to drop that much further as he finally got his first glimpse of what lay behind the mask.

Bane's lips were big and beautifully shaped around the long healed scars that slashed through them as various intervals. Without the mask on…Bane's whole face was stunning, stopping just short of being pretty. The scars were old enough that they weren't glaringly obvious, though the places where the mask had worn callouses-

Having realized what he'd done Bane looked away immediately, so stunned by what he'd done that his brain wasn't even computing the fact that the mask was still in his hand and could be put back into place.

"No, please." Sitting up Blake reached out to place his hands on Bane's cheeks, shaking at the fact that he was actually touching the flesh that had always been denied him. "I think you're hot as hell."

Doubly stunned speechless now, Bane's head turned back so that he could meet Blake's eyes, looking for the lie in them because that couldn't possibly be true. It was a trick, a ruse to...

His fingers light and gentle Blake stroked his fingers over his lover's exposed face, deliberately not avoiding the scars and oddly textured skin so that Bane would know he was seeing him, feeling all of him and not turning away. And when he couldn't stop himself any longer Blake let his fingers trace the slightly chapped and damaged lips he'd been aching to kiss and touch since the very beginning. He'd been preparing himself mentally to deal with possibly deformities, going online and looking up pictures of mouth defects to understand what he might face if Bane ever trusted him enough to take the mask off. This was nothing in comparison.

"I am not attractive." Bane managed to get out when Blake said it again, the almost worshipful look on his lover's face making his heart ache in a way he couldn't put into words, pain and pleasure intimately entwined beyond description.

Blake forced his gaze up to meet Bane's squarely. "You are to me." Pause. "Can I…kiss you?"

A full body shiver greeted that request, Bane's breathing going shallow at the very idea.

"Please?"

Unable to deny him Bane nodded slowly, every muscle tensing as the hands Blake had been running all over his face framed it instead, pulling him in close.

)

Despite his limited contact with regular people Bane had seen them kissing, everything from the most innocent peck on the cheek to something that looked, at least to him, like the two people involved were attempting to very awkwardly eat each other. He'd seen that most people seemed to find the action pleasurable, often doing it repeatedly rather than stopping after the first touch of lips to skin. The only lips to ever touch him besides Blake's had been Talia's, the occasional brush of them passing over his cheek in a fleeting show of affection from her. He'd thought that he understood what it meant to be kissed, but he'd been wrong.

The first kisses were so gentle and soft, like a warm summer breeze gliding over bare skin that was longing for the elusive wind. The ones that followed those kisses were firmer but still achingly careful, testing, giving him a taste of passion and the other man's mouth without truly letting him savor them. And so it continued in that manner, quiet flames flaring to delicate life and growing in warmth and size as the kisses were deepened and slowly returned as Bane hesitantly followed Blake's lead.

Gentle and hard kisses, kisses that seemed to go on forever and fast ones that teased and coyly invited more intimate contact. Closed mouth, almost chaste kisses were followed by carnal ones with tongue and teeth, and always their bodies were pressed close together, with Blake straddling Bane's lap and their arms wrapped around each other. So many ways to kiss, with Blake eager to teach them, and Bane just as eager to learn and experience.

How much time passed didn't matter, neither was aware of anything else but the man who fit him so perfectly in every way. Eventually Bane had to pull away though, having been away from his mask too long. His body wasn't used to being without the constant administration of medication and sharp, shooting pains were starting to shoot up and down his spine and into his head, interfering with his ability to enjoy what they were doing.

Seeing the pain in his lover's eyes Blake immediately abandoned his intention to pull Bane back in for another kiss, instead twisting his body so that he could retrieve the mask that lay discarded beside them on the bed. Bringing it up to place over Bane's red and swollen lips Blake quickly did up the straps for him, not wanting Bane to be in pain a moment longer. Once it was back in place he asked Bane if the fit was okay, smiling when Bane nodded a yes.

Still smiling Blake wrapped his arms back around Bane's neck and closed his eyes, resting his head against his man's shoulder. Cuddling sounded like a good idea to him at the moment. The right thing to do.

Keeping one arm around Blake's waist Bane lifted his other hand to stroke his fingers through his lover's hair, content with just that as well.

Sometimes there just weren't words, both men thought. This was one of those times.

)

They spent most of the evening in bed together, leaving it only when the growling of Blake's stomach refused to be ignored any longer. Not wanting to push Blake offered to eat in a separate room, well aware of the fact that Bane hadn't taken the mask off earlier as a show of trust or acceptance, but Bane had shook his head and they'd eaten together in the kitchen before heading back to bed. That was the only time the mask was brought up, neither mentioning it as they talked about regular things during the meal and then headed back to bed by mutual agreement, craving the closeness of the other the way a drug addict craved his next fix.

The sound of his phone going off sounded harsh to Bane's ears, even though the ringtone was a hauntingly beautiful melody that he'd picked especially for Talia. In his gut he somehow knew that whatever he would hear when he picked up the phone would not be good, that there was no way he wasn't going to be made to pay for the glimpses he'd been given today, of a heaven here on earth. One such as him had no business knowing such happiness, reality was about to intrude.

"I'll get it."

Rolling off Bane Blake retrieved the phone from the pants Bane had left on the floor, handing it over to his lover before stating that he'd give him privacy.

Accessing the call Bane watched his lover walk naked out of the room and close the door behind him, feeling a huge weight settle on his chest as he stared at the closed door as he spoke.

"Yes?"

"The warehouse. Now."

A click signaled that she'd hung up, not waiting for him to confirm or give her an estimated time of arrival. She'd told him to come, knowing that he would without hesitation. Because normally he would, regardless of any outside factors, and yet…

He didn't want to leave this bed. He didn't want to leave the man that was his.

But he had no choice.

With the heaviest of hearts Bane gathered up his clothes and got dressed once more, returning the phone to his pocket before heading towards the door, glancing behind him for a moment to stare at the bed and remember before making himself reach out to turn the knob and let himself out of the room.

Leaning against a wall a short distance away Blake looked over and taking in Bane's dressed state and expressionless face knew that something had happened. Something very, very bad that made his earlier worrying seem like nothing in comparison. "Bane?"

Walking over to stand in front of Blake Bane couldn't stop himself from pulling the other man into his arms, holding onto him in a grip that was just a little too tight. "I must go."

"Will you be back tonight?"

"I don't know. I will call you when I do."

A hesitate look, and then he asked. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't know yet."

Accepting that because he had no choice, Blake allowed himself a moment to hold the other man just as tightly before releasing him, saying that he'd see him later then.

"If I cannot make it back…sleep well, Mi Tesoro."

Mi tresoro. My treasure.

)

Arriving at his destination Bane entered the warehouse, not jostling or showing any sign of surprise when Barsad seemed to appear from thin air, exiting the shadowy area of the room like he was a shadow himself. Getting straight to the point he asked his second if he knew what was going on, Barsad responding that she'd called him in as well but he'd chosen to look the area over while he waited for him to arrive so that she'd only have to explain things once. That she'd never confined in him the way she did Bane went unsaid, both men well aware of the fact that Talia saw him as subservient to her and Bane. Odds were she'd only called him in so that whatever plans she was making would be completed faster.

Acknowledging what had been said and not said with a nod of his head, Bane led the way through the relatively small warehouse to the room Talia waited in, her attire more fitting for a night out than a meeting in a formerly abandoned warehouse in a dangerous section of Gotham.

She had her back to them, her voice like a cat o' nine tails when she demanded to know what had taken him so long.

Knowing she meant him Bane stated that he'd come straight here, adding an apology for making her wait only because he could sense she needed it. Something was very wrong with her, he could hear and feel it. He was not a man who groveled or apologized to anyone, but he would bend for her if she needed him to.

"We will put our plans to destroy Gotham into effect tomorrow. Begin the preparations." Turning around the light in her eyes was not sane or remotely rational. They were the eyes of someone caught up in a fervor that made them see only what she wanted them to see.

"What has happened, Talia?" Bane asked to buy himself time as he tried to reconcile himself to what she'd just said, what it would mean and the price he would have to pay for obeying her while a voice inside his head reminded him that he'd long ago sworn to obey her every order, to give her the world if that's what she desired.

But Talia was not about to explain herself, the look she gave Bane making that clear.

"It's not possible."

Head turning in a manner that resembled a snake as it considered where best to strike its prey, Talia oh so quietly asked Barsad to repeat what he'd just said.

"The original plans are no longer viable." Barsad told her without flinching, saying what Bane should be saying but was too busy drowning in conflicting loyalties and loves to do so. "We can't trap the city for months now, the winter season will be ending soon and then the waters surrounding it will be navigational. We don't have the men to encircle the whole city and prevent outside forces from coming in by water and retrieving our hostages, and or lending other aid. Some of the work we did in the sewers has been discovered and dismantled at this point, it would take at least a couple weeks to deal with that, and that's if we aren't discovered now that they know something's being done down there. Dr. Pavel, as you also know, committed suicide shortly after being brought to Gotham after learning what role he was intended to play which means he is no longer available and we have no replacement on hand. If you have fallen out of favor with Wayne than we no longer have that in, and we have lost a number of men who got tired of waiting around and left to seek work elsewhere. We've also been in the city long enough that it's highly unlikely we've escaped Wayne's notice. He no longer dons the cowl, but I'd lay odds he pays attention still and knows he has at least one former League member in his city. The other criminal elements talk of us and Bane."

And knowing the bitch well Barsad suggested the only alternative he'd been able to come up with that might satisfy her and keep Bane from losing everything.

"Bruce Wayne is the one you want to suffer, to kill. We cannot destroy Gotham as you wished tomorrow, but we can get him. We can bring him to you to do with as you like for as long as you like."


	16. Same Old Lines

Same Old Lines

It was late and Bane knew he had no business returning to Blake's bed. But he also knew that his time with the man was drawing to a close, and that thought spurred him on and had him arranging to be dropped off in front of his lover's apartment building even though it was three in the morning. Talia would arrange for Bruce Wayne to get a message indicating that he was to appear tonight at a specially chosen spot, the continued safety of Gotham depending on it, and there he would break the man who had stolen Talia's father from her. She didn't want Wayne dead yet, the event to come just a prelude to what she had planned for the other man, but it would mark the beginning of the end of their time in Gotham. And even if it were not he knew he couldn't linger in this place, come to Blake's bed knowing the blood of the man's hero was on his hands. He had no doubt that that was not something his precious bird could forgive, and the man would go hunting for the truth when Bruce Wayne went missing. Blake might not know that the man was Batman, but the money Wayne donated to the boys' home his lover had grown up in would insure that the man's disappearance would be thoroughly investigated.

His detective was not the type to give up or fail to see beyond the surface.

And even if he could hide what he'd done from Blake there was the undeniable fact that his past and Blake could not comfortably co-exist. He had to abandon one or the other, he could not have both, and even the parts of him that wished to pick the man he was about to see knew that to pick his precious one was to sign his death warrant.

Talia would not let anyone, least of all a Gotham detective, get in the way of her plans.

Bane could no more hurt her than he could Blake, and Talia could not be happy without him to bend the world to her will. Blake didn't need him to change his world for him, his man did that all on his own.

How would he say good bye though, what excuse could he give? In truth, though it branded him a coward, Bane wished desperately that he could just leave a note or message on the man's phone after he'd left explaining that he wasn't coming back. But he couldn't do that, wouldn't do that knowing the scars his Blake's heart bore because the man had never had a chance to say good bye to either parent before they were taken from him. He would find the words…somehow.

Letting himself into the apartment once he arrived at the correct door, Bane hung up his coat and stored away his boots before continuing on his way, making no noise even though there was no question that Blake would be fast asleep by now.

Opening the bedroom door Bane was stunned to see, in the shadowed darkness, a lone figure on the bed with a gun in hand, pointed in his direction in a guaranteed kill shot.

"Hey. Didn't think you were coming back tonight. Or correction, this morning."

Returning his gun to its place under his pillow, Blake's eyebrows rose when Bane stated the obvious. "Of course I pulled my gun on you. I'm a police officer, and you came into my place unexpectedly at three in the friggin morning. How was I supposed to know it was you?"

"How did you even know I was here though?" He was used to having guns pointed at him, but he was not usually caught unaware when that happened. And he most definitely didn't tip people off when he approached them unless he wanted them to know he was coming for them.

"Again, cop here. Do the math and then get into this bed. It's too early for anything but sleeping."

Bane wanted to continue the conversation, not to mention interrogate the detective as to when he'd realized he wasn't alone in the apartment, but he couldn't argue that it wasn't the time for such a discussion either. He was absolutely exhausted mentally, and more than he wanted answers he wanted to get under the covers with his lover and try to forget for a few hours what the reality of his life was. So they would talk about it over breakfast, Bane decided, turning his attention to stripping down to his skin. The air was slightly cool but he didn't really feel it, his body too used to such abuse to truly care as he lifted up the covers and slid under them, shifting so that he was facing his man.

Reaching out with the intent of tugging Bane a little closer so that they could share body heat, Blake's eyes snapped back open when his fingers connected with the coldness of Bane's waist. "Jesus Christ, what the hell?! Just because you're so big doesn't mean you shouldn't dress properly against the elements. You're fucking freezing!"

Immediately Bane started moving away, not wanting the apparent coolness of his skin to bother Blake. "My apologies. I'll warm up soon enough."

Calling Bane an idiot Blake threw aside his own covers and got out of bed, ordering Bane to lie in his spot. It took some arguing, and him telling Bane that he wasn't getting back into the bed until the man did what he wanted, but soon enough Bane was lying in the warmth of Blake's residual body heat.

Lifting up the covers then Blake climbed nimbly on top of his lover, hissing a little at the sharp difference in their body temperatures but resolute in his goal as he pulled the covers back into place on top of them and did his best to stretch out as much as possible to pass on more of his warmth.

Recognizing what his bird was trying to do for him Bane wasn't surprised when he was told to shove his hands under his detective's shirt to warm them, but he refused to do so. He didn't deserve even this much, his heart unbearably heavy with emotions he couldn't control or allow himself to feel and acknowledge.

"Bane, get your hands on my skin now or I'm going to punch you."

"You would break your hand doing so." Bane countered automatically.

"Maybe, so which would you prefer? You with warm hands or mine broken due to contact with your thick skull."

"Parjarito."

"Bane."

Sighing in acceptance that Blake wasn't going to take no for an answer Bane rubbed his hands together to try and give them a little more warmth before sliding them under the soft cotton of Blake's shirt. The muscles under his hands immediately tensed up at the contact, but no sounds of complaint greeted the contact this time. His lover was probably gritting his teeth to hide his reaction.

"You take too much on your shoulders."

Making a pleased sound low in his throat Blake's voice was heavy with impeding slumber. "You do too."

Yes, Bane thought as he remained silent, they did.

And the price they paid was high.

)

Toasty warm when he woke up Blake was loathed to open his eyes, much less leave his very comfortable position. But Bane probably had places to go and he had to get up and ready for another day too. So with an annoyed sigh Blake forced his eyes open, allowing himself a brief nuzzle against the comfort and sexiness of Bane's chest before shifting up to rest his weight on his forearms as he propped himself up to look at the man he was currently sleeping on.

"You're awake."

Nodding in response Bane lifted a hand to brush down Blake's hair. "Good morning."

"You could have just dumped me on your side of the bed, you know."

"I preferred to stay like this."

Bane probably didn't even feel his weight, Blake thought with a self deprecating sigh, wishing as always that he didn't so closely resemble a bean pole. But oh well, this was certainly better than waking up to a cooling bed all alone, even if Bane was watching him so intently that Blake knew there was no way that something important wasn't up. He could feel it in his bones.

Not missing a single shift in expression Bane asked what he was thinking about.

"That something's happening with you, and I'm not going to like it one little bit, am I?"

"I must leave your city soon. It is highly unlikely I will return."

Eyes narrowing Blake shifted with a predatory grace as he sat up on the man's chest, staring down at Bane with a penetrating gaze that warned of dire consequences should he be lied to. "Why do you have to leave? Is this because I saw you without your mask on? Because if it is-"

"No, that's not it." Fighting the urge to touch and comfort Bane fisted his hands at his sides. "In your heart you know what I am, Parjarito, and the people I associate with are a danger to your city." It was the most honest answer he could give without coming out and saying that the actions he would take would insure that Blake would never want to see him again even if he were to return for him. "I will leave and your city will be safe from me and mine."

It was incredibly stupid, and would only hurt him in the long run, but Blake had to ask, had to know because it was his duty to find out and even if it weren't…the 'what ifs' would hang around his neck like nooses later. "Why are you leaving? What's changed?"

"I've changed."

He could have still razed the city for Talia, both he and Barsad knew that. They had been modifying and adjusting their plans as the weeks passed, figuring out ways to achieve their goals even with the setbacks Talia's stalling had caused. Things would not have been exactly as she wanted them, but he could have brought Gotham to its knees in front of her if he'd wished to. Barsad had told her otherwise, and even afterwards, when he'd regained his head, he had not contradicted his second in command's verdict. He hadn't questioned why Barsad had lied either, and never would. He knew why, after all.

"Changed how?" Blake asked, interrupting Bane's thoughts.

Bane was silent for a long time, Blake's gaze never faltering, pinning him in place, demanding answers. Trying to articulate, to explain without truly explaining…

"I do not wish you to remember me as a monster." Blake would hate him for killing his hero if he ever found out, but that was nothing compared to what the other man would feel if he destroyed the city his detective had sworn to serve and protect. If he were to force his precious bird to live with the fact that he'd shared his life for a time with a man who would do such a thing.

Now it was Blake's turn to be quiet for a very long time. "And you won't tell me more than that, will you?"

"No. It's not safe for you to know more than that."

Muscles visibly working as he fought for control of his body and words, Blake's breathing was controlled and even as he stood up and then turning hopped nimbly off Bane and the bed, the sound of his feet hitting his hardwood floors sounding like cannon fire in the stark silence of the room. It was while his back was turned to Bane, his face hidden, that Blake asked Bane how long he would be in the city.

"No more than a week, likely."

"Okay. I'm going to have a shower now."

Walking across the room Blake didn't glance in Bane's direction once as he let himself into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. And then stripping as he went the detective headed for the shower and turned it on, not even feeling the water as it ran over his body in a futile attempt to warm what had gone so very, very cold.

But he wouldn't break, or cry, or plead, Blake knew as he leaned his forehead against the tiled wall, eyes now blank and unseeing. That never worked and all it ever did was make things worse. The people that mattered most to him had been leaving him since he was a child, it was what they did. They never stayed and he'd known Bane would be no different no matter how much he had childishly wished that this time he'd be able to buck the trend.

Gotham would be indeed be safer without members of the League of Shadows in it. That was good. That was something to be happy about.

Even though he couldn't imagine being happy again anytime soon.

)

So Blake showered, shaved and took care of the other bathroom necessities while he beat down his emotions and locked them away to be looked at and dealt with later. Once he had no further reason to remain in the bathroom he headed back into his bedroom, projecting a calm façade that would fool the average person who wouldn't see behind the mask Blake had adopted. Bane would and Blake knew it, but there was nothing he could do about that as he got dressed and then headed for the kitchen where Bane was making him breakfast.

"Thanks."

"Sit, I will get this."

Taking his seat Blake fiddled with the silverware in front of him, knowing this routine well. The decent foster parents were always especially nice to you right before they got rid of you. Let you stay up a bit longer, give you a little more affection that normal, cook your favorite foods like that somehow made it all right that they didn't want you around anymore. Treating you like you were important to them right before they showed you how wrong you were to think that.

But he'd played this game many times and accepted the breakfast Bane had made him, not commenting when the other man removed his mask so that he could join him.

"I would promise not to strike back if you wished to harm me…but it really would harm you more than I if you did."

A part of Blake really wanted to test that theory out, but he also knew from his time in foster care that lashing out physically just made things worse. It was like how he knew he should tell Bane not to come back and to hell with whatever time the man had left in Gotham. The impulse was there, but he couldn't do either because he didn't want their parting to be ugly or full of harsh words and bitter recriminations. He didn't want it to end, period.

"I knew it was coming." It always did, eventually.

"John-"

"No." A hint of heat flared in Blake's carefully blank eyes. "Don't' give me any of the lines. I've heard them all before. It's for the best, you'll find someone better suited, it would have never worked, and it's for your own good. Spare me."

"As you wish."

Eating the rest of the meal in silence, thought they both were unable to stop themselves from sneaking quick peeks in the other's direction, neither would have known what to say anyway.

It wasn't until they were putting their dishes in the sink that Blake spoke again, asking Bane if he would be coming by that night.

Surprised at the question, he'd anticipated this being their last morning together, Bane slowly shook his head in true regret. He had somewhere he had to be tonight and he would not come to his bird with the blood of the man's hero recently washed from his hands.

"Tomorrow?"

"You would still see me?"

Instead of answering verbally Blake wrapped his arms around Bane's neck and slated their lips together in a kiss that spoke of a desperate need, their bodies moving so that there was no space between them as that endless need for an eternity together was met and shared. The fact that both didn't want this to end, that if fate was kind they wouldn't be separated was clearly communicated between them as the kiss went on and on. But it provided them with no comfort because the two men in question knew that fate was rarely kind and that they seemed to have been slated to suffer since they were children. No happiness of this level was ever theirs for long.

When they finally parted Bane leaned in to plant brief kisses along Blake's jawline and against his cheeks, kissing the detective's eyes closed so that he wouldn't have to see the pain he'd cause there.

"I will come tomorrow." He said finally, when he knew he had to stop before he said or did something that would make this even worse than it already was. Intellectually he knew they should end this now, that his precious little bird had to know that as well as he did, but he could no more deny himself the pain pleasure of their time before parting than Blake apparently could.

"Okay. See you then."

Nodding as Blake withdrew the arms that had held him close Bane moved away and walked over to the kitchen table to retrieve the mask he'd left lying there, a symbol of what he was and would always be no matter how he might want to shed it. He would die without it.

Once it was in place Bane said good bye and then left the room, the sound of china breaking in what he thought was the sink moments later making him pause in the hallway for several heartbeats and then he was moving again, knowing he couldn't go back.

He could only move forward now.


	17. Blake's Shit List

NOTE: I've broken a bone in the wrist of my dominant hand and am wearing a cast, so expect less updates for the next little while! Sorry! And sorry for the minor cliffie, but it would have been a lot worse if I'd kept going a little longer lol

Blake's Shit List

Blake was in the mood to shoot someone. This was not a good thing, especially since he was armed at the moment and a police officer, but he couldn't help the fact that he'd trained himself early on to embrace his darkness in the wake of an extreme emotional blow. Crying and begging had never helped, and had only made him appear weak to those who had tried or thought about using his weakened state against him. The world, and Gotham in particular, ate the weak and spit them out at every opportunity. And he'd go to his grave laughing before he'd let anyone, especially Bane, realize that he'd been dumb enough to let himself give the man in question access to a part of his heart that apparently was a lot bigger than he'd let himself realize until now.

Ergo he was possible the biggest idiot in all of Gotham at the moment, and that just made him want to beat the living crap out of someone that much more.

The fact that someone had decided to fuck with his car in the police parking lot didn't help either. The men in charge of monitoring the area had just happened to miss the ten minute period where there'd been nothing but static, Blake thought with biting fury. They would not be making that mistake ever again, and perhaps in the years to come he'd feel a little bad for traumatizing them with mental images of what he'd do to them if it did ever happened again.

So he'd been stuck taking the subway and was now walking the three blocks to his place, not even really thinking about his sabotaged car or why someone would target him specifically except in correlation to how it made him that much more on edge. Frankly it had been all he could do not to ask Bruce to cancel whatever plans the man apparently had for the night so that he could take out all this anger training in the ring so to speak. Though it was probably for the best, who knew what kind of damage he'd attempt to inflict if given a human target to focus his rage on. He'd just use the man's gym instead and work his body until it dropped and Al came in and threw a blanket over him.

With a block and a half to go Blake stopped to scowl at the sight of a cracked display window, the store in question currently vacant and up for sale. The busted window wouldn't help attract buyers, and he wondered if he needed to call it in or if the proper authorities and the owner had been contacted.

Pulling out his phone to check into it, his mind cleared of its red haze for a minute in the face of doing his sworn duty, Blake felt a familiar feeling wash over him as he punched in a number, one he'd had to adapt too thanks to Barsad shadowing him so much during the whole Grey thing. But this wasn't Barsad, that guy was damn hard to catch when he was stalking you and whoever this was the gaze felt unfamiliar…and far more threatening.

Suddenly the fact that he wouldn't be walking here today if his car had been working seemed a very important piece of information to think about.

If the people following him, and yes, he was hoping for plural, had intended to attack while he was inside his apartment building they wouldn't have bothered to mess with his ride. They wanted to take him outside, likely pull him into an alley or do a drive by grab, thinking to catch him by surprise with a taser or shot of a drug that would put him out for the count. And call him crazy, but the person highest on his 'Most Likely to Try and Kill Him' list was the unknown person who'd pointed Grey in his direction.

In which case…they could come and get him, Blake decided as his brown eyes darkened to nearly black with cold, to the bone hatred. He'd get a name from them and then he'd go after whoever had caused David to be harmed and make him or her wish they'd never been born.

)

The area they'd picked for their showdown was an old, long abandoned park that had fallen into disuse as the neighborhoods that had once provided its visitors went to ruin, turning it into a mess of graffiti, broken bottles, and drug paraphernalia. The part the three League members waited at was a stretch of land that had been cleaned up in the fall, Wayne Industries buying up a number of buildings in the area with the intent to try and bright back the neglected area to its former glory. Whether that would still happen in the spring, when the only remaining Wayne was dead, was anyone's guess. The former soccer field was covered in only a light dusting of snow, light provided by the line of streetlights that ran along one side and were now in working order.

No one would bother them, no one would see, and the Batman would know where to come.

The man they were waiting for arrived ten minutes before the specified time, pulling up on a ridiculously pimped out motorcycle that the man was practically laying on as opposed to riding. And as they'd expected the man had donned the guise of his vigilante alter ego, the Batman before them as the motorcycle's engine died and its rider disembarked and walked towards them, studying the three of them with equal interest, as well as their surroundings.

When he came to a stop Bruce acknowledged each of them in turn with a nod of his head. "Bane. Barsad. Miranda."

Not betraying her surprise that Bruce knew Barsad Talia corrected him with a lethal smile. "Actually, it's Talia. Talia al Ghul. My father never had the opportunity to introduce us, I'm afraid."

Bruce studied her face for a long moment, perhaps looking for some resemblance between his former lover and the man he'd once thought of as teacher and friend, and then he dismissed her, turning his full attention to Bane and keeping it there. "So my understanding is that this is to be a fight between you and I. If I win all League members will leave this city and never return, and if I lose you'll attempt to finish what her father started and I'll be at your lack of mercy, correct?"

"Attempt?" Talia purred before Bane could respond, every inch the femme fatale with a very large gun in one hand, the hold loose, for now. "You're Gotham's only line of defense, Bruce, and a disgraced one at that."

"I can see why everyone in the underworld considers you the brains of your operation." Bruce told Bane, not sparing Talia a glance. He could feel her shooting dagger at him with her eyes, but he knew who the real threats here were and taking his attention off Bane was guaranteed way to get killed.

"You would be wise not to insult her in my presence."

"Then you'd be wise to tell her to keep quiet."

Considering the implied insult an acceptance of terms and a returned declaration of intent Bane threw a punch in response, the battle for Gotham on.

The League had expected Bruce to be somewhat rusty due to the man's forced retirement of his cowl and the lack of training partners. But it became apparent right away that not only had the man continued with his league training in exile, but he was in peak fighting condition. Bane still had the upper hand due to his superior musculature and strength, but as the minutes started to tick by the mercenary was willing to admit that it had been a very, very long time since he'd faced an opponent like this. One who not only knew how to fight at his level, but also fought with his heart as well as his mind and body. It was a dangerous combination, especially when he looked into his opponent's eyes and saw so much of the protector's spirit that burned in his little bird's eyes too.

Thank GOD he'd let Blake browbeat him into taking him on as an apprentice was all Bruce could think as his roundhouse kick was easily blocked and nearly turned against him. He well remembered the work it had taken for him to get into top shape again before taking the younger man on, his ego demanding that he not appear weak any longer in the eyes of the detective who insisted on seeing him as his hero. And it was that ego that had kept him in his present shape, learning new moves and practices just because he didn't want Blake to ever beat him. He'd known that Blake, who'd become the bratty little brother he'd always secretly wanted, would never let him live it down if he ever became more skilled than him in the fighting ring. So thank God for his ego too, because if not for those two things he had no doubt he'd already be on the ground, broken and bleeding, because his opponent was unlike anyone he'd ever faced before.

The perfect killing machine, Bruce acknowledged as he tasted blood in his mouth, as lethal in intelligence as he was in body. He could see that brilliance in Bane's eyes, knew the mercenary to be perfectly in control of himself and planning out his moves even as the man delivered blow after blow. It was really only the thought that he couldn't lose that prevented him from acknowledging the fact that he might have met his match in Bane, his mind knowing that if he admitted that possibility to himself he really would lose.

Standing off to the side with Talia, who he'd been ordered to guard and protect, Barsad watched the fight with unwavering attention, not liking how this was looking at all. Because while Bruce Wayne was in this fight with every fiber of his being Bane was not. Couldn't be, Barsad knew in his gut, because the man's heart belonged to a detective who would hate Bane for what he was doing and the man knew it. It was affecting Bane enough that the man was fighting in the same style as Wayne was which was not good.

Neither was fighting to kill, and that was Wayne's one, sure weakness.

Worst of all was the fact that he knew there was no way Talia didn't see what he was seeing, didn't recognize the fact that Bane wasn't doing this because he wanted to. And when he glanced over at her for a brief second the look in her eyes chilled him to the bone.

Blow after blow, dodges and blocks, the two former League members had been facing off for nearly ten minutes before the training all four had had alerted them to the sounds of an approaching vehicle.

"Don't stop." Talia ordered Bane then, making it clear to the others that she'd arranged this and had not included her two commanders in this addition to the plan.

"What have you done?" Barsad demanded to know, uncaring that she didn't tolerate him using that tone with her.

"Did you really think I didn't know you were lying to me?" Was her cold response, her smile feral, the madness that lived inside of her showing around the edges as she looked at Barsad like he was already dead and she was just fine with that.

Despite Talia's orders all attention went to the utility vehicle, tinted windows and the poor lighting making it impossible to see inside. Barsad and Bane recognized the car as being one of theirs, minds immediately jumping to the conclusion that Bane was about to have help taking down Wayne…or a hostage, likely the man's butler, had been taken and brought here to be used against their enemy.

But when the door on the driver's side opened the lone figure that stepped out wasn't one of Talia's men, the sound the woman made in her throat making it clear this wasn't what she'd had planned as the three men immediately recognized the man walking towards them with a police issue gun in one hand and wearing one seriously pissed off expression.

"Just for the record you four are all numero unos on my shit list right now, and it's going to take serious groveling on the part of you two testosterone afflicted fuckups to get off it!"

"No!" Talia snarled in response, her whole face alive with a fury that was somehow still paling in comparison with the level of anger coming off Blake in waves as he continued to approach them. "Where are my men?!"

"I told them to think about their bad life choices, but they may not have heard me through their concussions."

Okay, this was turning into a FUBAR situation, but Bruce couldn't help but smile a little in pride. Blake was wearing a turtleneck under a thick winter coat so he could only see the other man from the neck up, but there was nothing to indicate 'Talia's' men had drawn even a drop of blood.

"I saw that!" Pointing the gun in his friend and mentor's direction Blake was most definitely not pleased with the other man. "And I'm going to PERSONALLY wipe that look off your face once you and the other fuckup get finished with this stupid, BRAINLESS, COCKFIGHT!"

Wisely Bruce didn't ask why Blake was mad at him, he already knew the answer to that and this wasn't the time the explanations or justifications. As for the rest, well he glared at that before it dawned on him that he should really be paying attention to Bane at the moment since at least Blake would give him some warning before he attacked.

And then he really wished he hadn't, because the way the mercenary was looking at Blake confirmed that this really was Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition.

)

The world 'NO' went around and around in Bane's head in a seemingly never-ending cycle as he stared at his lover, who shouldn't be here and most definitely not so close Talia. She would not let the detective live, had likely planned his death from the beginning when she arranged for him to be brought here. Not as a true weapon against Wayne, though the Bat would no doubt die to protect Blake, but to both punish him and force him to prove his loyalty to her. And there was nothing he could do, no way to protect his lover because regardless of what happened he wouldn't be able to-

"So does this mean you two have clued into the fact that trusting HER to keep her word is like believing that the world is flat and communism is actually possible?"

"You will not speak!" Talia ordered, pointing a threatening finger in Blake's direction.

"Yeah, and you're dumber than I already think you are if you actually believe I give a shit what you think or say."

"You know nothing, you government dog."

"I know that pretty much everyone thinks Bane is the boss because he's the brains of your little operation." Blake shot back, showing not a hint of wariness where she was concerned. "You might think you're in charge, but that's only because he lets you be as delusional as the former head of your stupid little league. Hell, the only thing you've managed to do successfully since you got to Gotham is play the whore so that Wayne was distracted while you TRIED to get your hands on his other assets."

Dead silence. Eerie, bone-chilling silence.

Her chest heaving with the effort it was taking to keep from snapping, Talia's hold on her control negligible at best at this point, she spoke in a way that made it clear that she was biting off every carefully chosen word. Blake was to shut up. Barsad was to shoot him if he didn't. Barsad was also to shoot the detective if Bane and Bruce didn't finish what they'd started. If Barsad disobeyed she'd shoot him and then shoot Blake herself. These were the facts.

"No."

All eyes went to Bane, who was staring at Talia and completely ignoring his so called opponent.

"What did you say?" Talia demanded, the grip on her gun no longer loose.

"No. You will not hurt him. He is under my protection."

"You would turn on me over your stupid little whore?"

"You of all people don't get to call me a whore, and if you want to do me in how about growing a set and taking me on yourself." With his free hand Blake motioned her to come and get him. "You're really good at ordering people to kill for you, but how about getting your own hands dirty for once. If you're really a League member you should be able to kill me easily, or did you just sleep your way in there too?"

Harshly Bane ordered Blake not to antagonize her further, his natural instincts to defend his Talia's honor tamped down by his fear for his lover's safety.

Blake's response was to point a finger in the man's direction. "You be quiet. You're damn lucky I'm not trigger happy or I'd have gotten my hands on a pellet gun and unloaded a few rounds into your dumb ass."

"I am not dumb."

"You're letting your life be dictated by a woman who's right up there with the Joker in terms of sanity and psychopathic tendencies!" And those words seemed to open a dam inside of the detective because he started marching towards Bane while calling him every kind of stupid there was. How dare Bane throw away what they had together for a woman who obviously didn't give a shit about him or his happiness. And who the hell did he think he was thinking that he was some sort of god who knew what was best for Gotham? And if he didn't believe that and was just blindly following the crazy bitch then he was even dumber than he'd realized and how was that even possible? Either way he'd made a huge mistake getting involved with him and was now going to kick Bane's scarred ass from here to the Himalayas for wasting his time and heaven help anyone who tried to stop him.

"This really isn't the time." Bruce couldn't help but point out.

"Shut up, I'm not talking to you either!"


	18. I've Got Your Back

Notice: My orthopedic surgeon says my dominant hand/arm will be in a cast until the end of the month, which means less updates until then so just a heads up to my readers and sorry for the delays this will cause! I'm getting good at typing regardless, but it's not easy!

I've Got Your Back

There might have been a red haze around the rims of his eyes, but Blake's blood was ice cold and so he was with it enough to see the change in the body language of the men in front of him, the hairs standing up on the back of his neck further tipping him off so that he slowly turned around to see that Talia's gun was up and aimed to kill provided she knew what she was doing. He was willing to bet that she did. And while getting shot would be a punishment to the two idiots he wanted to beat the crap out of, he'd really rather not.

"I'll deal with you two in a minute." Walking towards Talia now Blake didn't say another word, just kept walking and maintaining eye contact as they faced off like a couple of Old West gunslingers.

Barsad tried to give the man a warning look, but wasn't sure it registered.

Worried about setting her off by appearing to surround her with men who were far more deadly that she was Bane and Bruce remained where they were, their bodies tense and ready to move as they watched Blake and Talia with growing panic and dread.

When Blake came to a stop he, Talia and Barsad formed a right angle triangle, Barsad carefully moving closer to Blake in order to be in a position to protect his leader's cop when it became necessary. He couldn't make it too obvious though, sudden movements from him would not be well perceived or received. The other two men were too far away to protect any of them from each other.

And now Blake started talking again, directing the words towards the woman whose blood he wanted to shed so badly he could taste it.

"You think killing people is the only way to cause change? That using violence to get your way does anything but teach others to use violence to get what THEY want? If I beat the shit out of all four of you I'd enjoy it, believed me, but that won't change what's happening now. What all of you have done to get us to this point. It won't solve the problem because the problem is NOT Gotham. The problem is the people in this city who think like you."

"You know nothing, a brainwashed dog of a capitalist state."

"Funny, seeing as the bitch in all this is you."

Talia glared at him for a long moment and then turned her gaze to Barsad, her eyes cold and calculating. "I gave you an order and you're disobeying me. You like this cop? This symbol of corruption and oppression? You lie to me about the status of my control over this city…is Bane not the only one fooled by his charms?"

"You know, I'm getting really sick of being called a whore by a whore."

"He belongs to Bane." Barsad said simply, not rising to her bait.

"One, I don't belong to anyone, and two, Barsad would gladly watch me be run over by a car and dragged four city blocks if he hadn't been ordered to protect me previously. And you don't control this city, Lady, and you never will. You're nothing without the two men you're insulting and pissing off, you're just too stupid to realize it."

Okay, that was it. That was all she was going to stand for. She'd made herself perfectly clear, and the whore cop was still talking and Barsad wasn't following orders.

It was time to make it clear she was just fine with getting blood on her hands.

)

Seeing what she was about to do, the gun coming up in one smooth motion, Blake moved automatically, his protector instincts so finely honed at this point that there wasn't an ounce of hesitation as he zeroed in on the man who'd steadily been moving closer to him and was the target. He had just enough time to wrap one arm around the man's waist to keep him in place as the automatic went off, Blake's other hand jerking a confused Barsad's head down so that it was covered as he shielded the mercenary with his own body.

"John!" "Parjarito!"

The bullets whizzed through the air and into Blake's back, while at the same time Bruce sent one of his boomerangs slicing through the air to slash across Talia's forehead, blood immediately pouring into her eyes and obstructing her sight as the shots went wild and then stopped all together when, after wiping the blood out of her eyes with her free hand, Talia registered that both Bane and Bruce were coming at her, making her drop the gun in fear because she knew, in her bones, that Bane wasn't coming to protect her.

As soon his ears picked up the sound of her fleeing Blake was letting go of Barsad, who'd been struggling against him since he'd jerked from the first bullet, and started running after his main target, yelling for the other two to take care of Barsad while he retrieved his police issue from his coat pocket. She was sure as hell not getting away from him that easily, not after what she'd done. The pain didn't matter, only catching her did.

Talia got to the car she and the her mercenaries had arrived in before Blake could stop her, the engine gunning and the tires squealing into action as he caught up with her, not that that stopped him. Running after her he cursed the off road capabilities of the vehicle, stopping as she went down an embankment he wasn't stupid enough to go down in the dark. Instead he finally remember the thermal vision shades Lucius had made for him, pulling them out of his pocket and slipped them on, knowing he'd always be able to out-think this bitch even if he couldn't outrun her.

Using his knowledge of the park, he'd patrolled the area for a couple months as a rookie, Blake took a gamble and doubled back a little before switching direction entirely to take a new route that would take him directly to where he thought she'd exit the park to head back into the city and her place. The thermal vision was throwing him off, he wasn't used to seeing the world this way, but it was doing its job and he was making damn good time. Hate and fury kept him fueled and getting faster instead of slower, Blake hoisting himself up onto a low brick wall to run along it to avoid the snow and anything that was hiding beneath it that could trip him up or give him a disease. From the wall he went around the small pond and through a line of trees to the exit he'd figured she intended to use.

He arrived just in time too, Blake sliding into proper position as he mentally calculated the odds of where to aim since his window of opportunity was slim thanks to trees, foliage and debris, and then he started firing at the vehicle's tires.

A couple hit, though not where he wanted to as the car disappeared into the darkness of the unlit street, going far too fast for him to catch on foot. So he didn't bother trying as he let himself fall back on his butt, wheezing for air since it had been in very short supply for the last few minutes. He couldn't swear and curse her to hell and back if he couldn't breathe after all, and he really wanted to do that and use all the words Father Reilly had literally washed out of his mouth with soap multiple times back in the day.

And oh but his back and left side hurt, Blake thought as he watched Bruce pull up nearby, thinking in spite of himself that he really, really wanted a chance to drive that thing someday. Man it was so boss.

Waving his hand to make it clear he was alright, just in case that was in question, Blake stayed where he was and made no move to stop the other man when Bruce crouched down and reaching out pulled down the collar of his turtleneck, revealing the black body armor underneath it. "Those weren't regular bullets."

"Nope. Felt every one of them. None got through, but my back is probably going to be rainbow in places tomorrow."

He wasn't the type to hug and mean it, his shows of affection usually part of an act with everyone else, and Alfred wasn't the type either, but Bruce let himself reach out to ruffle the other man's hair affectionately before informing his favorite cop that he wasn't sure where the other two were. They'd been heading for the car he'd driven to the meeting in last he'd saw.

Patting his pant pocket Blake stated that if they were coming it would probably be on foot. He'd taken the keys with him and unless they wired the car-

"Speak of the devil. I wonder if they found the bodies in the trunk." Blake gave Bruce his most innocent, wide eyed look when his friend's head whipped around to face him and not the car in question. "They're just unconscious. And concussed. And not likely to be walking upright for quite a while."

Getting to his feet Bruce offered a hand up, squeezing the hand that slid into his. "You've had a bad day."

"Oh yeah."

Nodding his understanding, Bruce let go once Blake was back on his feet, the sound of the car doors opening and then closing echoing in the silence. "Whatever else, he just saw you get shoot repeatedly in the back. Don't start tearing him to bits right away."

Eyebrows rising at that, Blake didn't have time to ask why Bruce would care about Bane's emotional wellbeing, but he would later. For now he moved to meet Bane halfway, coming to a stop right in front of him.

"She got away."

That was all he got out before Bane scooped him up into his arms and crushed him against his chest. It hurt like hell, especially since his ribs had been bruised and sore from the earlier fight with Talia's men, but Blake didn't complain as he wrapped his arms around Bane's neck and simply hung on, letting the man have his moment so to speak.

And okay, who was he kidding, he really needed this hug too.

In some corner of his mind Bane was aware that there were two long, thin pipes or something similar attached to the man's back, hidden under his lover's coat, but the rest of his thoughts were centered solely on the fact that his little bird was alive and now safe in his arms. He would keep him safe now. He would not fail in that.

The hug went on for a long time and then Bane was jerking away and grabbing Blake by his upper arms, shaking him lightly as he demanded to know what he'd been thinking, to get between Barsad and Talia that way.

"So her real name is Talia?" Mental note, pass that on to Legs. "And I was thinking I had body armor on and your pain in the fucking ass best friend didn't."

Moving to stand beside Bane now that the two weren't hugging and he was being insulted, Barsad pointed out in bitten off words that he hadn't asked to be protected.

"As long as you live in Gotham I am sworn to serve and protect your pretty, mercenary ass, Mr. Badass. Deal with it."

Eyes narrowing at the ass comment Barsad glared at Blake who glared right back, the two equally pissed at the other but for different reasons.

Letting his hands drop away in case he had to separate them, Bane was about to go back to trying to get it through his lover's head that what he'd just done was the height of stupidity when Blake's hand came up and cupped his cheek, the unexpected touch throwing him completely, as did the man's question if he was all right.

"I just saw you shot multiple times, Parjarito . No, I am not all right."

The thermal shades he was wearing hid Blake's reaction to that statement, which was a good thing because it meant the two men didn't see his next move coming.

Keeping his hand right where it was Blake reached out with his free hand and shocked the hell out of Barsad by cupping his cheek too. And then the why came into play as Blake smashed the two men's heads together with every ounce of strength he had.

)

Standing off to the side with his jaw nearly on the snow covered ground, Bruce watched his friend tear into two battle harden mercenary killers, one of who was no doubt at least a little concussed after having his head bashed into his boss's, with the sort of language and mental imagery that had him very glad that the other two had pissed off the detective more than he had. And note to self, calling Blake pet names in front of people was not a good idea, especially when said name referenced Blake's actual first name.

And then, unfortunately, he got dragged into it as Blake went from verbally pulverizing the two mercenaries for daring to think they could come into his city and fuck with it, to a rant about how the hell the three of them could be so fucking stupid and have their heads so far up their asses that they would let their balls be pierced with rings so that this Talia bitch could pull them around by them like they were her puppets.

Each man in question had to take a moment to process that mental image and grimace.

The first to recover, Bruce immediately threw the other two under the bus. "I only slept with her, and I dumped her. They've followed her for years."

Opening his mouth Blake closed it again, taking off the thermal shades this time so that the heat of his stare was that much stronger as he gave the other two hard looks, his tone of voice indicating their lives might be hanging in the balance depending on their answer. Namely Bane's. "Did either of you sleep with her?"

Barsad would have refused to answer, but given the emotional climate he wisely shook his head while Bane simply said no.

"Okay, then HE'S smarter than you two because at least he got sex out of this." Pointing a finger in Bruce's direction Blake's fury shifted just that easily. "And you quit smirking every time I give these idiots hell for what they've done or so help me God I will spend the rest of our life together making you sorry."

"I thought that was your plan all along."

"Oh ha ha."

"You know who he is."

Bane's statement had both men freezing, sharing a look that communicated a number of things before Blake spoke, taking responsibility for what his anger had let slip.

"Of course I know who he is. It's not like it's all that hard to figure out."

"You know he's Bruce Wayne?" Bane didn't want there to be any doubt.

Blake rolled his eyes before remembering they couldn't see his eyes even if he hadn't been wearing the shades. "Look, it's NOT that hard to figure out. I knew his approximate height, weight, and age, I knew he would have to have sufficient money to support himself without a job since he'd have to create or buy all his OBVIOUSLY EXPENSIVE AS HELL equipment, and there's no way he could hold a nine to five day job given the days he'd miss due to injury and investigating time. It had to be someone familiar with the city too, with one hell of a good reason to go vigilante and risk everything for a city as corrupt as we were." Blake couldn't help but smirk. "And someone here thought the best way to hide who he was was to get himself labeled a useless playboy who's picture was constantly in the paper, insuring that when I thought of an incredibly rich man of a certain age and physical fitness level who's return to Gotham after a suspiciously long absence that coincided with the first sightings of the Batman…"

"It worked with everyone else." Bruce muttered under his breath, though the others heard him.

Angrily shoving the shades into his pocket Blake changed the subject by pointing out that it would be the height of stupidity to keep standing here, out in the open while Talia possibly went on a murderous rampage in Gotham because she'd just had her skanky, no doubt surgically enhanced ass handed to her. And while they had all proven themselves to be stupid enough to stick around here he had better things to do. Like go after her.

"Even if you could find her she'd kill you." Bane reminded him through grinched teeth, making it that much harder to understand him.

"Hasn't managed it yet, has she?"

Seeing another epic fight in the making, and damn if he was going to tolerate that headache on top of the mild concussion he'd just been given, Barsad spoke up before his leader and Blake could get into it. "She won't immediately go on a rampage, she'll go back to her place to see to her wound and then throw a temper tantrum. Then she'll contact us and expect us to come to heel. Next she'll want us to unleash our men upon Gotham…and will be most displeased to find out that that's not an option."

"Why is that not an option?" Bruce wanted to know.

"Because Bane ordered the most highly trained and dangerous of his men to leave Gotham this morning without telling her."


	19. Explanation Time

Explanation Time

Since all eyes were on him now Bane figured that he needed to unclench his jaw and explain Barsad's statement. "It was the agreement she and I came to. That if I fought and broke the Bat she would leave Gotham alone and abandon our former plans. In preparation for the most likely outcomes I ordered my men from the city. Ordinarily they would not follow her without my or Barsad's orders, but in the event of my death they might have been persuaded to attack Gotham in retribution for my demise. Those that remain are dangerous, yes, but are unlikely to fall in line right away. Her money will sway the tide there, but it will take her time to track them down and enforce her will on them."

"You actually believed my suffering would be enough?" Bruce shook his head at the thought. "If she's her father's daughter, and it seems that way, that wouldn't be nearly enough."

"Her power comes from me." A sentiment he'd never verbalized before. "She could have led without me, but she's used my strength as hers since she was a child. Talia knows no other way." Bane's eyes switched over to meet Blake's. "And I meant what I said when last we spoke."

Since the two quickly engaged in a glaring contest Bruce turned his attention to the second in command, who now owed Blake his life and was clearly pissed off about that fact. "Will she come for me or Blake first?" He was pretty sure he'd win that popularity contest, but better Blake safe than losing another loved one.

Barsad considered the question for a couple minutes, Blake and Bane now paying attention to him too to see what he thought as the most unbiased where Talia was concerned. Which was of some irony given that she'd just tried to turn him into human swiss cheese, but he was used to people trying to kill him and generally didn't take it personally.

"I believe her rage will remain directed at you. You are the reason she came here, the reason she stayed so long and you rejected her, which she never forgives or forgets. If not for you Bane would have never met Blake either. And now that I think about it she might not go back to her place either, knowing that would be where we'd look first. She has an image of herself that she clings to…her masks slipped earlier and she won't face anyone until those masks are back in place. She'll burrow and then strike."

Not liking the way Barsad had phrased his and Bane's meeting Blake pointed a threatening finger in Bane's direction, wanting to make something absolutely clear. "Don't you think for a minute he sent me to vamp you or something either. I didn't know you were League until I mentioned I was seeing you and he went all overprotective on my ass. One more person calls me a whore tonight and I'm going to start breaking bones, especially since I didn't get to break hers."

Since the thought had crossed his mind Bane simply stated that someone of Blake's personality would not harm a woman so easily and he should recognize that fact. It was one of the many reasons he hadn't wanted his bird to confront Talia, knowing the detective might hesitate at a pivotal moment.

"She lost her 'Girl' card when she put David's life in danger." He was going to break her jaw and never feel a twinge of guilt, ever.

"David?" Confusion, then a dawning awareness. "You believe…you believe that Talia pointed Grey in your direction?"

He could have argued it himself, because boy did he have a lot to say on the matter, but Blake wanted this settled fast so he simply motioned towards Barsad. "Ask him. You asked him to find out, right?"

When Bane looked at him Barsad didn't flinch. "Someone who waited until you were out of the country before informing Grey, and more, knew you were gone. The perpetrator had to know the existence of the video from the club, easily access it, and cover their tracks with considerable skill. Someone who would want Blake tortured and not just killed, someone with no regard for innocent lives. He only recently made detective, he never led or played a significant role in causing problems for someone who would have reason to risk your wrath criminal wise. Your enemies don't live to hold grudges, and those that still breathe would never believe anyone could matter to you enough for their death to affect you. The trip to the League was unnecessary, her hatred for him plain."

"Yet you said nothing to me."

"I protected him personally. She wouldn't have gotten past me and my loyalty is to you." It went unsaid that his words would have gone un-believed until tonight, when Bane had had it forced down his throat that he would have made the wrong choice in staying with Talia.

"If you need additional proof you just have to wait until one of the guys in the trunk regains consciousness. The one knew and the other three heard him confess before they went nighty night."

Bruce and Barsad glanced in the direction of the trunk in question while the other two simply looked at each other, the lack of visibility meaning nothing as Blake waited for Bane to absorb and Bane tried to do just that.

How long they were all silent didn't register, though it was the lack of conversation that made the sound of approaching footsteps and loud banter that much more jarring so that all four came to attention, Blake reaching behind him and sliding his hands under his coat and turtleneck retrieved the twin escrima sticks he'd concealed there, bringing them out and at the ready.

And though the group that almost stumbled across them wore gang colors and were probably no stranger to brawls or jumping whoever crossed their paths, the group of about fourteen teens came to a grinding halt as they took in Bane's huge size and musculature, their eyes bulging out of their eyes over the fact that the FUCKING BATMAN was there too…

Barsad and Blake hardly registered, but regardless, the gangbangers couldn't run away fast enough.

Bane watched the foolish children disappear back into the darkness from whence they'd come before turning his gaze to his little bird's new weapon of choice. "You know how to use those?"

"Keep pissing me off and you just might find out." Was Blake's response to that one as he put them away, though he gave them a little flashy spin just because he could first. "And I hate to repeat myself, but again, this isn't the place for a heart to heart." As an afterthought he added that they also needed to do something about the guys in the trunk. Now that his head was a little clearer he had no idea what to do with them.

"Attacking her while she's in her building would be ill advised. She might have it rigged or take civilians hostage. Not to mention we don't have proof of what she's done or intended to do." Bruce looked towards the trunk, the same problem applying there unless the four men were wanted elsewhere. Blake could report they'd attacked him, but the hours in between would bring trouble on the detective's head, and the man was already getting enough flank over Bane. Ignoring the other two for the moment Bruce focused on his second. "We'll take the men out of the trunk, I'll have Gordon pick them up with experienced backup. He can tell them it was an anonymous source. Hopefully they'll be in the system, if not we'll see what can be worked out."

"And her?"

"I arranged for her building to be watched prior to this. I'll contact the men in place, find out if she's there and not causing havoc elsewhere. We'll go to the Manor, come up with a plan." Now Bruce looked at the League members who sized him up right back. "If you're with us come, going neutral get out of my city, and with her…we'll take you down too."

"We will hear your plan. Then we will decide."

Bruce looked at Blake, who looked at Bane and then back again, giving a short nod. If he was wrong he'd take the consequences, God help him.

"All right then. I have to take the longer way so I'll leave you to leave the men here. Your men can come with you in the car. Keep your phone on so that I know you're safe." Bruce's eyes went cold and unforgiving as he informed Bane that if anything else happened to Blake because of him there would be no remote corner of the world so hidden he wouldn't be able to find him and finish what they'd started.

"He is mine to protect." Clearly unsaid was that Blake was not, nor would be ever be Bruce's.

"I've protected him. You've been protecting his would be executioner." While the thought of his honorary brother ever being his in that way Bane meant made Bruce want to gag, he thought it best to retain a proprietary air where Blake was concerned, if for no other reason than it got such interesting reactions and reminded his former opponent of how important Blake apparently was to the mercenary.

"We don't have time for this bullshit. Bruce, get on the damn bike and contact Gordon. Bane, get over to the car and-"

"Blake-"

"Don't argue with me right now!" There was a hint now, of desperation mixed in with the fury that had kept him going and focused this long. Getting up in Bane's face Blake spoke slowly and carefully, wanting to get his point across without any chance of being misunderstood. "I am tired, and angry, and I have had one of the shittiest days of my life and that is really, REALLY saying something. I haven't eaten, I'm not caffeinated, and I am freezing my fucking ass off standing here because of you morons. Right now I'm so fucking mad at all of you I can hardly see straight, and I don't know whether to beat the shit out of you or hug you because I'm just that stupid where you're concerned…but I do know this. Get your ass in the car now and don't talk to me until I give you permission because I might love you…but so help me God I swear on my mother's soul I will shoot you if you push me any further."

Moving with the lightning speed he was known for Barsad got between them, slapped both his hands over Bane's mask to insure not a peep got out of the man in his stupefied state, putting all his weight into shoving Bane backward, the other man stumbling back as the shock of Blake's words left him unable to process or even realize what the hell was going on. Once they were far enough away Barsad switched to a tight grip on Bane arm and tugged and pulled him towards the car.

Having watched the whole thing, who could look away, Bruce forced himself to look back at Blake, sure that the man had yet to realize what he'd just said when he got a look at the detective's face. And as much as he valued his life Bruce figured there would be hell to pay if he didn't point out what Blake had said before the man got stuck in a vehicle with Bane for the drive to Wayne Manor.

"That was the first time you told him you love him, wasn't it?"

A very long pause. "SHIT!"

"That's what I thought. I'll see you at the house, keep your line open."

Puffing out his cheeks in a childish display of annoyance, Blake reluctantly nodded and then pointed out something that had just occurred to him, metaphorically smacking him upside the head with the strangeness of it. "You're fine with me being alone in a car with two members of the League of Shadows, who probably came all the way to Gotham for the sole purpose of destroying this city and you along with it. What the hell did I miss before I got here?"

"I saw the way he looks at you."

He wanted to ask how Bane looked at him, it was on the tip of his tongue and burning like acid there, but Blake swallowed every desperate word and just nodded his head instead. He had enough to deal with at the moment.

)

To give himself some time to deal with the fact that he'd confessed, out loud, that he was in love with Bane, something he'd been working really, really hard not to be aware of, much less vocalize, Blake saw Bruce over to his bike, watched him go, and then forced himself to head back to the car, not terribly relieved to see that the men he'd knocked out were already out of the trunk and propped up against some trees. He stopped long enough to check to make sure they were still alive, they were, and then headed for the driver's seat, glad they'd had the sense to both sit in the back. He was guessing that had been Barsad's idea.

Retrieving the car keys from his pocket Blake let himself into the car and after fastening his seat belt started it up, pulling away from the side and steering them back onto the road and out of the park. They were less than a block away when Bruce's voice came out of his phone, informing him that the security he'd hired had confirmed that Talia had not returned to her residence, which meant they didn't know where she was. So they'd meet and hash out where she might be as well.

"Copy that."

And those two words were all he or anyone else said for the rest of the drive to Wayne Manor, Blake parking off to the side and getting out, the other two doing the same and coming up behind him as they walked up the steps, the door opening before Blake could raise a hand to knock.

"Hey, Al."

"Robin." Motioning the boy inside Alfred gave the other two cool, hard looks as they walked past him silently, closing the door behind them. "Master Wayne will be with us momentarily. And Miss. Gordon is waiting for you. She insisted on staying and being involved as she found the information we were looking for."

"Commissioner Gordon's niece? The one who visited you in the hospital?" Barsad asked, since he hadn't been told not to speak as they walked through the classy, expensive looking front entrance and down one hallway and then another.

Damn, he would have rather kept her out of this. But getting rid of Legs was no easy task at the best of times, and Alfred was just too damn nice and old school to kick her out. Even for her own good. So Blake simply acknowledged that yes, that was who Alfred meant.

And then they were walking into one of the many parlors meant to entertain guests in, Barbara getting to her feet as they entered, her reaction taking two of them completely by surprise.

"YOU! What are you doing here?!" Pause. "Oh for fuc-fudge sakes, HE'S your friend, the one who's disabled and can't come to the library himself!? You lying bastard-sorry, Alfred." She was too angry to watch her swearing a second time. "You're Barsad, aren't you? Dammit, this is why I hack into the personal data of the guys I'm interested in so things like this don't happen!"

It took Blake a moment to realize that the hot guy Barbara had mentioned when she'd visited him in the hospital… "Wow. We all have the worst taste in the history of bad taste."

"You said it." Flopping back into the seat she'd been occupying Barbara gave Barsad dark looks while informing Blake that there were sandwiches on the table for him, coffee too.

"Thank God."

Abandoning the other two Blake headed straight for the food, loaded up his plate, and taking a seat started to eat with a single-minded focus that was meant to give him a brief, desperately needed break before the next storm.

)

Bane understood the necessity and importance of silence, and despite his size he knew how to be quiet the way only a true predator could. He also understood the power of words, how they could be used to calm someone down or inflame the blood of those who listened and needed outside guidance. So he understood both silence and language, or he'd thought he had until today. Tonight he didn't know what to do, wanting to speak as much as he was glad he had an excuse not to speak because he didn't know what to say or how to say it. His precious bird had said that he loved him. It had not been planned, he knew that as well as he knew the other man's face. So he had to believe, because as much as he tried to tell himself otherwise his gut knew better, that Detective Robin John Blake loved him.

The butler had called his bird Robin and not been corrected or yelled at. Wayne obviously cared about Blake and vice versa. And now the truly exceptional librarian that had picked out some truly interesting and thought provoking pieces of literature for him turned out to be involved in this whole mess somehow too. So many questions, Bane thought as he stared off into space, so many thoughts that he was trying to use to block out the question of where Talia was, what she was doing and thinking.

What he was thinking to be here instead of out looking for her.

And then his lover was taking a seat beside him, lightly elbowing him in the side. "You can talk about non personal stuff, we'll get to that when we're alone and we can…really talk." A deep breath, and then Blake finally met his gaze, the detective's eyes too shielded to reveal much. "Thanks for respecting my request before too. And for…coming here."

"This will not end well."

"I know."


	20. Plans Change

Plans Change

When Bruce entered the room it was to find Bane and Blake apparently not talking to each other but sitting side by side, and Barbara apparently pissed off at Barsad, who was pointedly not looking at her while Alfred hovered in the background. And now that he thought about it they had way too many people in this room who went by a name that started with 'B', Bruce thought to himself, a small smile crossing his tired face before it died a quick death as all attention turned to him. He was wearing body armor under the civilian clothes he was now wearing, but he also knew that it probably wouldn't be enough should things get ugly, particularly with Alfred and Barbara around as possible hostages. Hopefully they'd all had enough violence for the night.

Taking a seat because looming over the others wouldn't go over well, Bruce stretched out his legs and then began to speak, confirming that Talia location was still up in the air and that there was nothing on the police scanners to indicate any disturbances in Gotham that were out of the ordinary. Then he asked Barbara if she'd explained her presence, having already been updated by Alfred as to what she had found and why she was refusing to leave until she'd spoken with them.

The redhead shook her head. "Nope. I figured you should ask them about their plans to take Gotham over and see what they say. I'll know if they're lying, and then we can kick their little asses out of here." She called dibs on Barsad's.

"What makes you think we're so transparent, Ms. Gordon?" Barsad figured she must have a reason given that she'd struck him as fiercely intelligent and observant in their dealings together. Having something to discuss with her would also help him hide the fact that he was still reeling from the fact that the sexy librarian he'd ignored his interest in had apparently been interested in him up until she'd found out he was a mercenary working for the other side. Which was precisely why he'd ignored said interest, Barsad thought ruefully, because only an idiot would get involved with the police commissioner's niece when you intended to take over the guy's city by force.

"You didn't cover your tracks as well as you think." Was her cool response, the set in her body suggesting that she wanted to use him as a punch bag.

Something about the girl made Bane think she probably did know more than she should, but that was irrelevant at the moment. So rather than debate with her he simply braced for their reactions as he calmly relayed their original plans to take over and ultimately destroy Gotham, including the fact that they'd planned to destroy Bruce financially at first before Talia had started altering the plans once she got to know her father's murderer. The plan to cast Wayne into The Pit for the duration of the city's occupation, using the man's energy converter as a bomb to add insult to the injury, as well as trapping the police below ground and freeing those said police had imprisoned. He didn't bother to tell them the adjustments they'd made to the plan because they weren't known to Talia and therefore she couldn't use them.

When he was done the room was dead silent, the minutes stretching on until finally Barbara found her voice.

"I didn't know you were going to use the football game."

To give Bruce and Blake time to absorb the rest Barbara forced herself to keep talking to give the two time to process the plan she'd already known about, though it seemed that much more real hearing it in Bane's decidedly creepy mechanized voice. So instead she concentrated on asking the two mercenaries about the other things she'd discovered in their search, surprising them with her knowledge. She wasn't surprised to hear the plans they'd failed to mention were contingencies, she'd noted the lack of development and figured as much.

"So what…you figured life is like that Stalin quote, the one that says that one death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic? Al Ghul dies and it's somehow the end of the world, so let's kill fucking millions and that will somehow make it all right? You aren't dumb, Bane, you're a fucking genius so why the hell? How could you possibly think-I can't even wrap my damn head around what you were going to do to this city. To the people."

Blake didn't apologize for his profanity as he struggled to control himself, and Alfred didn't reprimand him for it.

"I offer no excuse."

"Then give me a goddamn reason!"

"Talia was always my world, my life hers to do with as she wished. What she wanted and needed I did my best to get for her. Violence is my nature, it's what I know and understand. The world would be better off without this city, with what would have happened to it burned into their minds so that they improved their own societies for fear of meeting a similar fate." Bane's nails dug into his palms as he spoke with pure honesty. "I would not have mourned the loss of this city or its people, I would have seen it destroyed without a flicker of conscience…if not for you. You split my loyalties and I don't know how to function this way. I see her through your eyes and what I see is not my Talia."

Turning his head Bane met Barsad's quiet gaze. "You have never failed me, and know all the pieces on this chessboard. What do you think?"

"She's insane, as were her plans for this city. She'll end you once she's sure you're of no more use to her. Hers was always a false light in the darkness, his is not."

Bane swallowed hard, looking over at Blake. Yes, his bird was a true light, but one that would still shine for him? Unlikely.

Eyes moving over to meet Wayne's, which were a lot easier to meet, Bane studied the man he'd come to Gotham to destroy on every level, the return stare as cool and measuring as his own. He'd thought he understood Bruce Wayne, had scorned the manufactured persona the other man showed the world, the weakness he'd thought had fueled Wayne's decision to abandon the league and return to his cursed city. A man who hid behind his name and removable masks, who was not worthy of the time, training, and affection his former leader had heaped on the man. The man Talia's father had thought worthy of becoming Talia's husband. Better than him, more worthy than him, someone who could take over the League of Shadows once Al Ghul had passed on. That had been part of it too, why he'd been so willing to help Talia destroy Gotham. He'd wanted to prove to the ghost of the man who'd deemed him a cunning but ultimately unworthy animal, that he was better than Al Ghul's chosen one.

How stupid that was.

He knew Wayne wouldn't kill Talia, he would want her locked away somewhere thinking that was the more humane thing to do. It wasn't, but then Wayne didn't know what it was, what it did to you to spend decades in a cage. To have every day of your life controlled by someone else. That he couldn't allow. Death would be her choice over a return to captivity.

"We will remain neutral." Bane finally said, seeing no other option. He could not help them hunt or cage Talia regardless of what she had done, but he would not aid her in destroying this city either.

"Okay then. Do you play chess?"

"What does chess have to do with this?" Barbara demanded to know.

"We need to start making plans, which they can't be a part of since they aren't on our side. I need Blake here but he also needs to talk to Bane, though our planning needs to take precedent. Therefore I'm asking if Bane wants to go across the room with Barsad and occupy themselves with something like chess to pass the time while we have our little powwow. Or the two of you could leave; I'm not going to stop you."

Bane looked at Barsad, who gave him a look that said he'd be a complete and total idiot to leave without talking to Blake first.

"We will play chess." Getting to his feet Bane didn't pause before stating what had to be said, for Blake's sake. The fact that the energy converter needed to be removed from Gotham as quickly and covertly as possible. Talia would use it, there was no doubt in his mind.

"It's already been taken care of. The room is empty." And on that note Bruce asked Alfred to get the man a chess set.

)

So the two mercenaries sat on one side of the room, silently playing chess while the other four huddled together with laptops in front of them for reference as they talked amongst themselves in low voices that didn't carry enough for Bane and Barsad to hear even if they'd wanted to. They didn't even try, Bane not wanting to be any more conflicted than he already was. Barsad would have helped them, Talia needed to be stopped, permanently, but he would stand with Bane in this.

Finally the others called it a night, the 'good guys' standing and stretching, saying last minute things to each other while Blake came over to their table, looking worn and exhausted.

"I'm staying here for the night. Commissioner Gordon is going to arrange for me to take tomorrow off. Given the hour Bruce is willing to put you both up too if you like, if not you can take the car we came here in after we talk and that will be that."

"We will see to your injuries, talk, and then we will decide if we are staying or not."

"Okay. Follow me."

Blake headed back the way he'd come, stopping to relay the situation to Bruce before leaving with the two mercenaries at his heels. They all walked quietly down the hallways until they reached the rooms they'd be using, Blake pointing at the first door and saying Barsad's name so that the other man would know that that was where he'd be staying for the night or the duration of the talk depending. He didn't bother to issue any warnings, the mercenary wasn't an idiot after all, and instead simply reminded him that they'd be in the room beside his if he needed something or thought of anything he thought they needed to know.

Moving on to the next room Blake opened the door, heading straight for the bed where clothes to sleep in had already been set out, as well as a jar containing cream to rub into the muscles that ached and throbbed now that he had no choice but to acknowledge them. Alfred had offered to see to his injuries for him after Bane left, but apparently that wouldn't be necessary.

And frankly, he was just too damn tired to care about analyzing whether or not he should let Bane touch him at this point.

But one thing had to be made clear, and Blake turned and faced Bane before he reached behind him to grasp his turtleneck from behind, pulling the garment up and then over his head to remove it, holding the top in one hand while he stood straight and tall, his eyes acknowledging what Bane was seeing.

"You are his apprentice."

"Yes."

The body armor was as black as Wayne's save for a stripe of blue that hugged the man's shoulder blades before dipping lower below the neck. Walking around Blake to get the full effect Bane's eyes were automatically drawn to the damaged areas, indicating where the bullets had struck his little bird earlier. "Two of these would have killed you without the armor."

"Good thing I had the armor then."

Not commenting on that Bane reached out and set his hands on his lover's waist. "You need to remove the gloves first, yes?"

Nodding Blake took them off and turning slightly threw them onto the bed, removing his escrima sticks while he was at it before allowing Bane to help him out of the top half of his costume. Once it was off he watched Bane set it on the bed beside the gloves, appreciating the fact that the man hadn't just dropped it on the floor.

"Do you want me standing or lying down?"

Since the detective looked ready to keel over at any minute Bane chose the latter, waiting until Blake was stretched out on the bed before taking a seat beside him, retrieving the jar which he wasn't surprised to find carried the same sort of cream Blake had used on him before, when he'd come back after Grey's attempt on Blake's life. Now he knew who the friend was, who'd altered the cream he'd known well from the League. Making it smell better, because someone like Bruce Wayne would never tolerate smelling like a yak if he could help it.

Carefully he rubbed the cream into the rainbow of bruises that decorated Blake's back and marked the points of impact before turning his attention to the tenser bandage wrapped tightly around the man's lower ribs. "From your scuffle with my men earlier?"

"Yup. One got in a lucky punch, bruised a couple ribs."

Undoing the bandage Bane tested the ribs in question, agreeing with Blake assessment that they weren't cracked or broken. He applied cream to them as well and then rewrapped the bandages, moving off the bed to stand beside it when he'd given his man all the first aid he could.

Sitting up Blake grabbed the long sleeved shirt off the comforter and put it on before turning his attention to shucking off the pants he'd worn over top of the rest of his body armor. It wasn't like Bane hadn't seen him naked plenty, so he didn't hesitate to remove that as well before slipping into the loose cotton pants that he often wore while training. That done Blake all but crawled under the covers and then propping his back up against the bed's headboard turned his attention back to Bane.

"Okay. Let's have it."

Bane blinked in surprise. "I don't intend to offer you any excuses for the choices I've made, and you know what I planned to do, I did not lie to you and your compatriots. What is it you think I need to say? I assumed you simply intended to yell at me more." He'd already decided not to bring up the fact that Blake had said he loved him earlier. It had been in the heat of the moment and Blake had not intended for him to know. He would respect that.

"I'm too tired to yell, and nothing I say can undo what's been done."

Nodding his head in agreement on both counts, Bane asked if this meant they would not be talking then.

Making a sound of frustration Blake rubbed his hands over his eyes, the slump of his shoulders a significant tell after he'd tried so hard to stand tall previously. Now he was looking everywhere but at Bane, his voice tired and laced with dark humor when he spoke.

"This must be how people have felt over the centuries when someone they care about comes back from war, and then they hear about all the atrocities said to be committed by their side. You don't want to think, much less believe it's true, and you can't really wrap your mind around it even when there's proof and you have to believe-so you're left wondering how anyone could do these horrific things while these little voices in your head make you wonder just how involved the person who matters to you was. What he or she did…how deep in the darkness they sank while away from you."

Now Blake looked at Bane. "So you've told me, and I believe you aren't lying, but I don't know how to wrap my head around it."

"That is for the best."

"Why, because you think it will make me less inclined to try and beat the shit out of you?"

"No. To truly understand you would have to know war and wholesale slaughter."

Understanding what Bane meant Blake couldn't help but point out that if Bane had succeeded in getting his way he would have gotten an up close and very personal look at both if he'd managed to escape being locked up underground like an animal.

"Before I met you, yes. After…I would have attempted to remove you from it all."

"I'd have hated you for that."

"I know."

Silence fell once more, the two not sure what the hell to say to the other but sure that if they admitted that this pivotal conversation was over things between them would be too damaged to ever repair. There was just too much to say and no words to say them. Or too much fear keeping them quiet, unsure of their step or how the other would react if they dared voice their thoughts or feelings.

Breaking the silence Blake asked the only question he could really ask this point. "Are you leaving now? The city, I mean. So that you don't get drawn into the fighting."

"No. I will stay and observe unless she chooses to leave. She might do that, she can be patient, and she may decide to retreat and attack later when she believes your guard is once again down."

"And will you return to her side if she leaves here?"

"She would not take me back into her ranks or the League after this. I betrayed her when I showed more concern for your wellbeing than hers."

"Do you regret that?"


	21. Most Important Answer

Most Important Answer

Blake's question hung in the air like a living thing, a seemingly invisible poltergeist with the power to chill the air and make it heavy and stifling, impossible to breathe in or think about anything else. It had their full attention, wrapping around their throats like skeletal claws that threatened to slice through flesh instead of simply cutting off the air they desperately wanted in their lungs again. The weight of it was enough to bring Bane to his knees, the mercenary taking a seat on the bed now as he stared off into space as he tried to find words that refused to come to him.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't a fair question." The first to break Blake stared down at his lap, his hands fisted tightly there.

"I feel like I am two different beings in one body." Bane began softly in the new, echoing silence, trying to explain his conflict. "The man I was before…knew only darkness and a way of life that was not life so much as survival. When I was able to leave that place, break free of it, I thought I was living then. But I wasn't. I see now that I was living for Talia and not myself, that I was merely…existing in order to protect what I thought was meant to be my purpose in this world. I was content with that, I didn't know any different and devoting myself to her was what I knew, what my existence had revolved around since she was born. Being with you-when I was with you-I was living for myself, acting for my happiness and no one else's save you. It was-intoxicating, that life I led when it was just the two of us." Pause. "The man I was is like an animal now, mindless, confused and raging because it doesn't understand what's happened. It's lost its hierarchy and purpose. The man I am with you…says that you are a gift I will never deserve, and that you should be protected against all, including Talia, until the last drop of blood leaves my veins."

Bane cleared his throat, his eyes that of a scared child trying to pretend he wasn't, lost and not knowing what to do or how to save himself. "I cannot regret saving you-but I am now lost in a world I no longer know my place in."

"There's room beside me."

Eyes widening at the arms that had lifted and were open to him Bane didn't think and simply reacted, crawling across the bed and into those arms, his head coming to rest on Blake's shoulder as he clung to him as he had once clung to Osito in the shadows of hell.

He was behaving like a child, showing himself to be weak and vulnerable and all the things that would get you killed in this unfeeling, heartless world. But this man was his, both sides of Bane whispered back to him as they quelled the instincts that would have had him pulling away. He was welcome and wanted here.

Keeping one arm around Bane's waist Blake lifted his other hand to stroke the smooth dome of Bane's head and over the leather of the mask. He knew that he should still be standing firm, not giving even a quarter of an inch, but love screwed with everything and he couldn't turn his back on Bane, not when the man needed him most. He knew what it was to be utterly and completely alone and feeling like there wasn't anything or anyone he could grab onto or depend on. Bane had been left alone all his life, only appreciated when he could do something for someone else. That wasn't the way it was supposed to be, and if Bane was ever going to be happy the man had to learn that. He was probably going to pay for this, in the immediately future or eventually, but some things were worth pain. Bane was worth it.

And thinking about Bane's past had Blake remembering that there was another big secret he needed to reveal since he'd been so vocal earlier about how much he hated his loved ones keeping things from him.

"In the interest of full disclosure I know about The Pit." Blake felt Bane jerk hard against him, but the man said nothing so he continued. "I remember thinking, once Bruce and Al were done telling me about it and you, that no one had or has the right to judge or condemn you. That someone who'd walked through the hell you did-how could that not warp your very being, existing in a world of darkness without ever once being in the light. By all rights you should be the mindless animal they treated you like-but you're not. You're not."

"You don't know all I've done, what happened in The Pit." Wayne and his elderly caretaker might have been able to find some information, but there was no way they could have gotten the full story or they'd have known about Talia.

"And someday if you want or need to tell me about those times I'll listen." They were probably stories of horror he wouldn't be able to process or understand any better than the plans Talia and Bane had had for Gotham, but he'd listen. "I wish I'd been there, wish I could have-"

"Don't ever wish that!" Bane snarled, his grip on Blake's waist tightening to a painful degree though Blake didn't so much as whimper. "You would not have survived a day in there. I would not have been able to protect you."

"I meant that I wish I could have spared you that hell." Was Blake's soft reply. "Serving and protecting the innocents is what I signed on for when I joined the police department. I wish I'd been able to stand for you somehow."

"You would not have lived long enough to stand for me. They would have torn you to shreds both for your beauty and your refusal to sink to their level." Nothing beautiful and pure could survive in The Pit intact, Bane thought to himself. His belief that Talia had been the exception to that rule had been proven to be false. He had failed her.

Sensing the shift in his mood Blake asked Bane what he was thinking, frowning when Bane answered him. "Bane…that she got out at all is a miracle. You did what I wanted to do for you, protecting her from the reality of that prison to the best of your ability. That she…got twisted along the way, that's in no way a reflection on you. For that matter, being al Ghul's daughter, of course he indoctrinated her to think the way he did. Knowing what she went through, that he'd failed to protect her-no wonder he lost sight of honor by the time he came to Gotham."

Consider this Bane felt obligated to point that if the principles of the League of Shadows were twisted and without true honor then he was the same.

"I won't argue that there are a lot of beliefs you hold that we're going to have to argue about, at length, but you do have honor, Bane. Of that I have doubt. And while I can't, will never be able to condone what you would have done to my city because of your beliefs, I can understand, in a way, wanting to hurt and even kill those who live lives of leisure and corruption, who show absolute indifference to those who suffer or deliberately cause it. You have no reason to believe in the idea of justice I uphold because you were never given any. Everything and everyone that should have protected and shielded you failed or worse, chose to cause you irrevocable harm."

Silence and then… "You've done your time in prison for the crimes you committed once you were free from The Pit, Bane. It's time you live for yourself and make choices that aren't based on hate, fear or revenge."

If not for all the emotional upheaval he'd experienced in the last few days Bane knew the news that his little bird knew about The Pit would have floored him and resulted in hundreds of questions that would have all ended up revolving around the question of how Blake had stood to be touched by him, had allowed him into his body knowing what he'd come from. Those questions would come later, Bane knew in some part of him, but for now he was too tired to think about multiple things as the hands touching and stroking him, the heart that beat so warm and steady beneath him lulled him into a sense of security and rightness that forbade him from questioning anything for fear of losing it.

"I don't know how to do that." Bane finally admitted. "How to live that way."

"I could help you with that."

Unable to move from where he was, this safe place in the eye of the storm, Bane closed his eyes and focused solely on Blake's warmth as he asked why the man would be willing to help him, had welcomed him into his arms like this after everything he'd done.

A pause was followed by a hard swallow before Blake got the words out.

"Because I love you."

Bracing his weight up on his hands Bane forced himself to shift into a position so that he could see his lover's face as he point blank asked how the man could still love him after hearing what he intended to do. He wasn't a fool, he'd seen how much he'd hurt and angered Blake earlier.

"You did, but love isn't that easy to kill, is it? Even if she killed you tonight you'd have died loving Talia, right?"

Knowing the other man to be right Bane nodded and then settled back down into his earlier position, making an effort to distribute he weight better so that his body wouldn't be as big a burden as it could be. Closing his eyes again Bane's voice was hardly above a whisper. "I don't believe I can be worthy of you." He had no problem bathing blood for love, that was something he understood. Violence was a part of him, he didn't know how to give that up, how not to be that man.

"How I feel about you-that's yours to nourish or kill, Bane. If you want it."

At present he felt like he knew very little about the world and his place in it, but Bane did know how he felt about the gift he was being offered.

"Yes. I want it."

)

Exhaustion caught up with them soon after that, Bane only leaving the room long enough to inform Barsad that they would indeed be staying for the night before returning to the bed he'd left his lover in. For both their sakes Bane stretched out on his back with Blake climbing on top of him to sleep on his chest, the familiar weight of his little bird making Bane smile behind his mask as he slid a hand under the thin cotton shirt the other man was wearing so that he could carefully place his hand against warm, hopefully un-bruised skin.

Blake's voice was thick with sleep but his words were audible enough. "Sex is going to be off the menu for a while, just so you know. So don't get any ideas in the morning if you wake up first. Still really mad at you. And Bruce." He added, to be fair. He really was still really mad at his teacher too.

"He cares for you very much."

Blake rubbed his cheek against Bane's chest in a sort of nod. "Little brother he never knew he wanted."

"He will not approve of you loving me."

A long yawn greeted that comment. "He just has to get to know you better. I think you'd like each other if you gave each other a chance."

And anticipating what Bane would have to say about that Blake announced that he was too tired to talk and that Bane could start earing forgiveness points by letting him go to sleep so that he'd be up to dealing with the idiot League members in this house, past and present, in the morning.

Since he would imagine he would need plenty of points before his lover stopped calling him an idiot Bane settled for telling his little bird good night and then went quiet after Blake returned the good night, along with a reminder that he wasn't to call him pet names in front of anyone. Smiling over the warning Bane was content to stroke a hand through Blake's silky hair, finding the action as soothing as the way the other man's breathing slowly evened out and went deeper as Blake gave into sleep. He could not sleep just yet, there were far too many things on his mind for it to shut down any time soon. Thoughts of Talia warred with thoughts of Blake, the 'what ifs' so varied and numbered that Bane didn't know where to start or where his priorities should be.

It was like that for a good two hours, Blake asleep while Bane pondered, the latter activity interrupted when the door leading into the bedroom opened just enough for Barsad to slip in, the mercenary making a beeline for the bed with the ease of someone used to moving in darkness.

"I need to go out and check something." Barsad said quietly, speaking in English since he didn't know how well Blake was at pretending to be asleep or if the man had actually passed out. Either way he didn't intend for his actions to be a secret.

"Where are you going?" Blake's words were decidedly slurred, but he was definitely aware they had company and had understood the reason for Barsad's visit.

"There is something I need to look into. I'll come back once I get a sense of the possible situation. That is all I will tell you for now. There is no danger." Barsad added, since he knew that would be the cop's next question. That the other man seemed to care about his continued existence annoyed him, but he accepted it as just another one of Blake's many flaws.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Bane very familiar with the cadences of Barsad's voice, the mercenary asked if his second needed or wanted company on this mission.

"No."

"You will call me if that changes."

Barsad nodded in acceptance of the order and then turned to go, pausing when Blake called out that he was to say safe since he wouldn't be around to save his butt if he got it into trouble again. "I didn't ask for your help, nor will I ever when it comes to my life." Bane's, yes, but the fact that he owed a governmental official his life was going to eat at him until the debt was repaid.

Closing the door after him Barsad didn't have far to walk down the hallway before he encountered Bruce, who'd been waiting for him. The two sharing a look of understanding Bruce pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning against and the two started back the way they'd come with Barsad bringing up the rear.

They had somewhere they had to be.

)

How long Blake and Bane slumbered after Barsad's little visit neither was sure, though both had deliberately chosen to sleep lightly and therefore came awake fairly quickly when the next knock came at the door. Since Blake was on top the detective nimbly slipped off and headed for the door while Bane threw aside the covers completely and got up as well to follow after the younger man who was still blinking away sleep when he opened the door to see who their visitor was, assuming it was probably Barsad come to say he'd returned from his mysterious mission.

Bruce stood in front with Barsad slightly behind him, both men revealing nothing and yet foretelling the reason for the interruption in their poker faces.

"Something bad has happened." A lot more awake between one blink and the next Blake's shoulders straightened as he braced for whatever they were about to hear as Bane came up behind him to observe their visitors over said shoulder. "What did she do?"

Glancing at the hand Bane had put on Blake's shoulder Bruce's eyes very briefly met his friend's before he met Bane's stare squarely, trusting that Barsad knew what he was talking about when it came to this. On how to say this.

"Talia and six men attempted to reach the energy converter three hours ago. We had changed the codes and such but she or one of your men managed to get them through. She wasn't aware that I'd already moved it and had it altered so as to be unusable even if she were to find it again. When she arrived there and realized that she wouldn't be able to use it against us…she got very angry and-she pulled out a gun and fired it repeatedly into the air to express that anger. One of the bullets ricocheted off the wall and went into her temple. She's dead."

The sound that escaped Bane's mask was inhuman, part terrible grief and part rage as his grip tightened painfully on Blake's shoulder, though the man didn't complain as he set his own hand on top of Bane's to give it a squeeze of support.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Bane." Blake said quietly in the silence that had descended as the other two waited for Bane to absorb what Bruce had just told them.

"You could be lying." Bane growled, his knees threatening to buckle as he grasped at straws. She'd only been without him a few hours…how could she be dead? His Talia could not be dead, she could not have died so easily and senselessly.

"He brought me with him to confirm her death, Bane. That's where I went." Barsad's voice was military in nature, as was his bearing. "Wayne showed me the camera footage of what happened from here and I went to the place the converter was kept to check her body for myself. The men she was with left her there when they couldn't find a pulse and are currently in the wind. I retrieved her body and it's now in a safe place where it can remain until we take her home."

"You will take me to her." Bane ordered, literally picking Blake up and setting the man aside so that he could push past Bruce and come to a stop in front of Barsad. "I will not believe until I see her myself."

"We'll go now."


	22. I Will Wait For You

I Will Wait For You

With the thick comforter wrapped around him for warmth and comfort Blake sat on his couch and waited for Bane to come. If he was going to come, Blake thought for what felt like the millionth time as he forced himself not to look at his watch or the nearby clock again. Bane had said he'd come back here after going to see Talia's body…but that had been hours ago and he didn't need to be a detective to know that the longer he sat alone on his couch in his apartment, the more likely it was that Bane had left the city with Talia's remains, Barsad, and whatever League members were still possibly in the city.

He should have insisted on being allowed to come with Bane to view the body, he should have never backed down at such a crucial moment even though Bane had basically ordered him not to come, Blake berated himself, also for the millionth time. But at the time he'd thought that doing what Bane wanted was important, especially since he'd told himself that Barsad would provide any emotional support Bane might need. Because while it went without saying that he cared a hell of a lot about Bane's wellbeing, any platitudes coming from him wouldn't mean much since he'd been very vocal about his feelings towards Talia before her passing. Not that he would have killed her…but in his gut he'd wished her dead and his lover was far too perceptive not to have known that.

Part of the reason Bane hadn't wanted him to come was probably the fact that Bane and Barsad hadn't wanted him anywhere near their no doubt top secret headquarters where they'd been plotting their stupid plans for the last few months, Blake told himself as he rolled his eyes, trying to lighten his mood a little before he did something stupid. There would probably be whole piles of stuff in that place that he'd theoretically have to arrest them for if he saw it, yay him. And in a blink of an eye, as it had constantly, Blake's mind turned to the real questions at hand.

Would Bane blame him for her death? Talia wouldn't be dead if not for him and events he'd put into motion so to speak. Bane would know that. Would he come after him for revenge, or leave him forever as a punishment to them both? How would Bane handle his grief? Should he call him? Go out looking for him?

Getting to his feet, telling himself that he should just go to bed and try and get some sleep, Blake stood there for a moment, cursing life in general and the fact that he knew there was no way he was going to be able to sleep, before dropping back onto the couch.

And then Blake had to swear as his bruised and battered body made their feelings known as added insult to the already considerable injuries. He could call Bruce, Blake didn't doubt the man was still up and would listen to him, but Bruce no doubt had to deal with his own feelings concerning Miranda/Talia, especially since there was no way this couldn't have drudged up memories of losing Rachel and his parents. Not that Talia had mattered nearly as much as them, but Bruce was paranoid about the people around him dying and this wasn't going to help that phobia one little bit, dammit.

Stretching out on the couch in the slim hopes of at least cat napping a little, Blake closed his eyes and tried not to think about the fact that his life was probably fucked up beyond all recognition now, with basically zero chance of repairing it any time soon. He'd fallen in love with a mercenary capable of cold blooded mass murder, broken the law countless times in one night, and was waiting around for his definitely not Prince Charming like an idiot because he…he couldn't make himself do anything else.

How long he lay there contemplating how he was going to fix his life when it finished blowing up in his face Blake couldn't say, he was still ignoring his need to check the time, but he knew the instant his front door was opened by someone.

Sitting up in one fluid motion that had him off the couch and onto his feet in a snap, Blake tossed the comforter onto the couch and then started towards said door, almost out of his living room when Bane stepped into view.

With so much of Bane's face covered by his mask reading it should have been difficult, but Blake could see the grief and pain, could feel it in his bones as the look in the other man's eyes froze him in place against his will.

But Bane crossed the space dividing them with his long, sure strides, picking Blake up in a princess hold that had Blake automatically wrapping his arms around Bane's neck to keep him in place as he remained still, belatedly realizing that he should have spent some of the past few hours thinking about what he would say if a miracle did occur and Bane came to him after seeing what had become of Talia as a result of his choice to protect him instead of her.

Bane took them back to the couch, picking up the comforter first and then draping it over the both of them. He had yet to say anything, but his actions spoke loudly.

Saying Bane's name softly Blake gently nuzzled their cheeks together and waited, having no idea where Bane was at and sensing that he should stay quiet until his lover made the first verbal move.

"She took her first steps to me." Bane said softly, his voice just loud enough for Blake to hear as he held the other man close and started talking, in fits and starts at first, about Talia and their life together. About important milestones that were always noted such as her first word, 'No', and little everyday quirks about her like the fact that she'd been a horrible swimmer but the most elegant of dancers. He spoke of her favorite colors and foods, her love of piggyback rides and how she'd called him 'Bay' before she'd learned to pronounce his name properly. The subjects she'd excelled at and her struggles with math, the difficultly in hiding her gender from the other inmates for fear of what they'd do to her if they knew. He told Blake that she and her mother had dreamed that someday her father would rescue them and they'd go live with him someplace safe where Talia could be a proper little girl with dresses and ribbons, Talia's mother spinning elaborate tales of what that life would be like. And then Bane told him what it had been like to see Talia take that leap to complete her escape from The Pit, the agony of not knowing what had become of her until the League had come for him and taken him to her. How he'd have asked them for death as his reward for protecting her if she hadn't begged him to live, to stay with her.

As he listened to Bane describe how Talia had been there for him once he'd been rescued from The Pit Blake continued to do what he'd been doing since Bane had started talking, keeping his arms tight around Bane and listening, absorbing everything he was being told as he saw Talia through Bane's eyes.

The sun moved higher and higher into the sky, the rays growing in brilliance and warmth through the single living room window. The light marked the passage of time but neither man paid it any mind, Blake only leaving Bane's side for a few moments to get the other man some water because obviously his lover wasn't used to talking so much period, much less all at once. And when he couldn't talk anymore Bane simply went silent and continued to hold onto Blake until his phone let out a sign that indicated he had a text message.

Pulling the device out of his pocket Bane studied the readout and then softly stated that Barsad would be arriving in fifteen minutes to pick him up.

"You're going to take her home."

"Yes."

Silence reigned for several heartbeats and then Bane stood up, shifting his grip so that Blake slid down his body so that Blake was on his feet again but still wrapped in Blake's arms.

"I don't know when I will return here. After the burial I'll have to deal with the League, and that cannot be rushed, nor the outcome anticipated with any real certainty. Proving her capacity to lead the League of Shadows was part of the reason for this visit and Talia's determination to succeed. Currently the higher ranking members are still divided as to who should take over Ra's al Ghul's place. Many power struggles and assassinations have taken place as various members have vied for the top position. I need to insure that whoever takes over the mantle now that the last member of Ra's al Ghul family is dead will not seek to finish what al Ghul planned for this city, and that whoever takes charge will lead those who remain in the League honorably. I'll have no way of contacting you while I'm there. It's too remote and even if it wasn't it would not be wise to draw attention to my connection to you. The members that came here with us are loyal to me, but I have many enemies back at the League headquarters."

Blake wanted to demand to know more, especially in regards to just how many people were potentially going to try and maim or assassinate his lover once Bane returned without Talia's protection, but he bit his tongue because it would be pointless to ask. This was the League of Shadows after all. They didn't advertise how they worked or what they did from the shadows they lurked in. And he got that Bane would feel that he had to make sure that the League would not fall into disgrace because it was the legacy of the two people Bane thought, rightly or wrongly, he owed his freedom to.

So he didn't ask Bane to return right after he buried Talia, or for Bane to not go at all. All he could do was ask a question. "There isn't anything I can do to help…right?"

"No."

"Okay then." Blake looked down, not meeting Bane's gaze. "I'll…I'll walk you out."

A pause. "Parjarito?"

It took him a moment, but Blake forced himself to look up again to meet Bane's unreadable gaze. "Yes?"

"Will you wait for me to return?"

"Are you asking me to?" There couldn't be any misunderstandings here, Blake knew, there was too much at stake. What Bane said now could make or break what parts of his heart he'd managed to glue back together, the threat of a life back in darkness looming over him like a storm cloud waiting to break.

Bane nodded. "Yes, I am asking. Though I do not have the right, perhaps…I cannot not ask."

Emotions warred for prominence in Blake's eyes, but he forced himself to rein them all in as he allowed himself to lean against Bane's chest and believe. "Then yes. I'll wait."

"Thank you."

There wasn't time for more than that, Blake discarding the comforter still wrapped around him so that he could move more easily as they headed for the front door where Bane once again donned his coat and boots. When Bane started to do up the coat Blake asked him to wait, moving in when Bane did as he'd asked. Leaning in close Blake reached out and gently pulled the collar of Bane's shirt to the side so that he could lower his head to press his lips against the skin he'd just revealed before marking it as his while Bane's hand held his head in place.

Lifting his head when he'd finished Blake worked up a smile. "See you soon."

Nodding his head Bane finished doing up his coat and then undid the locks for the door, opening it before he turned back to look at Blake one last time with a final request.

"Will you say it one more time, please?"

"I love you."

"I love you as well, Parjarito."

And on that note Bane stepped through the doorway and then softly closed the door behind him.

)

Four Months Later

The weather outside the vehicle was warm, the air conditioner blowing cool air around the inside of the car and its lone occupant. Not that Bane minded the humidity, he was used to much worse than this, but the months he'd spent recently in cool climates had his body preferring the coolness to the baking heat that those walking around him seemed to be enjoying as he drove past them. The area was a fairly popular vacation destination, he'd been told, though the place he was headed for was slightly off the beaten path. The cottage his little bird had rented for his two week vacation.

He hadn't known about the holiday until he'd arrived in Gotham the day before to find Blake gone. When he'd called the man's cell phone he'd been informed that it was no longer in service, necessitating a call to the GCPD who had informed him that the detective was on vacation. From there he'd been reduced to calling Wayne, who'd surprised him by volunteering the information without any arguing. He was trying to see that willingness to help as a sign that Blake had asked the Batman to do so as opposed to his former nemesis wanting him to get to Blake as soon as possible so that he could be informed that he'd been discarded and forgotten in the months that had passed since they'd last spoke.

Logically Bane knew that his little bird was not the sort to love easily or shallowly, and that Blake would never break his word normally…but the dark voices in his head had whispered at first and then shouted as the weeks passed that he knew better than anyone just how appealing his lover was. That there were plenty of men out there without his baggage and bloodstained hands who would eagerly pursue Blake in his absence, offering his beloved things and a life that were beyond him to provide.

The thought of Blake being touched, loved by another had haunted him as steadily as Talia's ghost these past months.

Eyes darkening with sadness, as they did whenever he thought of Talia, Bane resolutely turned his mind to thinking about what he would say when he arrived at his destination and was actually faced with his little bird.

One would think, given the amount of time he'd had to consider what he should and needed to say, that he'd have a speech set in stone by now, Bane acknowledged with a self-deprecating head shake. He was a man who knew well the power of words and how to use them, a student of many languages who had proven that his strength was as much mental as it was physical over the past months…yet all words dried up at the thought, the fear that his words would fail him this time and he would lose everything.

That as it always had been before, the light would be snatched away from him, taunting him with the fact that he was not worthy to stand in its rays and now its beauty.

Soon he would know if that was the case.

The rest of the drive was completed in dark musings, the crowds disappearing and the vegetation getting far more dense around him before Bane finally pulled into a long driveway that ended beside a well worn but charming looking cottage with the sand and ocean shining brilliantly in the late morning sun behind it.

Stepping out of the truck Bane's eyes automatically scanned his new surroundings for a sense of the layout and possible threats, his gaze landing and staying on a spot that was halfway between the rustic dwelling and the sea water that brushed back and forth over the white sand in loving repetition. There, stretched out on a large towel, was the man he'd come to see, apparently fast asleep while he sunbathed in a black bathing suit.

Without conscious thought Bane walked across the sand to Blake, his eyes hungrily taking in the body that was currently beautifully tanned and made his mouth actually water for a taste of it. His lover's hair had grown, he saw, currently in the process of drying and having a curl to it that he hadn't known it had previously. He wanted to run his hands through it and play with its new length. And Blake was slightly bulkier than he'd been the last time he'd seem his bird unclothed, Bane noted with eyes hungry to take it all in, the new definition suggesting that perhaps the other man had been using physical activity to keep him centered, as he had many times in the past months.

His shadow was just about to reach the prone body when Blake abruptly rolled over and onto his back, long lashes blinking hard as the detective struggled to wake enough to process what had made his instincts jolt him back to consciousness.

"Bane…?"

Knees going weak at the sound of his name on the other man's lips, Bane took a couple steps closer and then dropped down onto his knees so that he sat in the sand like a pupil before his master as he waited for the lesson or task to be given, unable to speak.

He didn't have long to wait, Blake moving with impressive speed once it computed in the detective's mind that he wasn't just seeing things and that Bane really was there, kneeling in front of him. Scrambling to his feet Blake barreled into Bane's chest like a shot fired from a cannon, knocking them both backward, so great was Bane's surprise at this unexpected reaction.

Wrapping his body around Bane's as much as he was able Blake's voice was dead serious. "If you ever leave me like that again I'll shoot you!"

"That is fair."

Perhaps hearing the smile in Bane's voice Blake abruptly let go and sitting up a little reached for Bane's mask, the former mercenary making no effort to stop his lover as the buckles were undone and the mask was removed so that the smile he was indeed wearing was in full view. Pleasure was in his eyes as he felt Blake's fingertips brush over his lips, Bane sighing Blake's petname with love in his unfiltered voice.

And then their lips were pressed together and not much was spoken for quite a long time.

But when they were spoken…it was made clear that they would never be alone or left in the darkness ever again.

 

The End

P.S. I will be writing more about these two, though I need to finish some other works first before starting new stuff. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
